The real appeal of this evening lies in the stakes for both sides: Dortmund wants to cement its claim to the top 2, while Werder feels how quickly one point more or less can shift the situation in the tight table zone. The 17th Bundesliga matchday takes SV Werder Bremen to Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. Dortmund, under Niko Kovac, are in second place with 33 points, still 11 points behind Bayern, but with a four-point cushion over Leipzig. Horst Steffen’s Werder team is twelfth with 17 points, level on points with Cologne and only one point ahead of HSV, so practically every result counts. The picture is the same in sporting terms: Dortmund has picked up ten points from its last five league games, but the 3-3 draw in Frankfurt showed how quickly control can slip away, even if Chukwuemeka saved a point late on. Kovac may have to keep an eye on Kobel’s fitness again this time. Up front, the focus is on Guirassy’s six-game Bundesliga goal drought, which is simply a matter of finishing. Werder are coming back after a weather-related break and still seem to be searching for cutting edge, with Boniface out long term and Milosevic also currently sidelined. The head-to-head record reveals a small peculiarity: The last game in Dortmund ended 2-2, the game before that in Bremen ended 0-0, even though Dortmund is unbeaten in the last five encounters. Interestingly, four of these five games had fewer than 3.5 total goals, which fits with a duel in which Bremen often wants to stay compact and Dortmund tries to turn a lot of space into cleaner chances.
- Venue: Signal Iduna Park, Dortmund
- Date and time: January 13, 2026, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (matchday 17)
With Dortmund at 1.4, the market is virtually predicting a home win – the real value therefore lies more in the course of the game and in the appropriate combination markets. The 3-3 draw in Frankfurt, with Beier, Nmecha, and Chukwuemeka, showed Dortmund’s offensive power, but also the lapses at the back, especially with Kobel looking shaky. Werder will be without Boniface, and Milosevic is a factor in personnel planning, but Stage and Schmid can still create something. That speaks in favor of: Both teams to score: Yes, Over 3.5 goals and Dortmund to win – 1st half.
Dortmund form & record check
Dortmund goes into the 17th matchday in second place with 33 points. Their form in the league is decent, but not flawless. The problem is the gap at the top: Bayern is 11 points ahead, so even a strong run can quickly feel like treading water. However, the more direct pressure is coming from behind, with Leipzig only 4 points away, so there is not much room for a slump. The 3-3 draw in Frankfurt summed up the promise and the problem quite neatly. An early lead and then a late equalizer from Chukwuemeka showed power and conviction, but three goals conceded again represented lapses as soon as the game descended into chaos. Before that, the 2-0 wins against Gladbach and Hoffenheim were controlled and professional, while the 1-1 draw in Freiburg and the 2-2 draw against Bodo Glimt already hinted that Dortmund likes to leave the door open a crack. Interestingly, the last five games across all competitions show a clear offensive basis. Dortmund has scored in every game, and every time in the first half, with the games consistently exceeding 1.5 goals. The break often comes after the break, when control slackens and the structure softens. Guirassy’s streak of six league games without a goal remains an issue, even though Beier and Nmecha have picked up the slack recently. Kobel’s fitness is being monitored, with Meyer ready to step in if necessary.
Kovac is likely to stick with a 3-4-2-1, with Süle, Anton, and Schlotterbeck as a back three in front of Kobel. Couto and Svensson should provide width as wingbacks, while Sabitzer and Nmecha balance ball recovery and quality in the first pass. Brandt will likely move inside and act as the main link, with Beier operating close to Guirassy for second balls. Against the ball, the whole thing can shift into a compact 5-4-1. This is only a predicted starting eleven, the key question is Kobel, who has recently been struggling with illness and back problems, so Meyer is the obvious backup. Anselmino is still out with a thigh problem, so Mane remains a candidate for the matchday squad. Özcan and Drewes are not eligible to play in Champions League games, which further limits Kovac’s options. Guirassy is expected to start, with Fábio Silva providing pressure from the bench.
Werder Form & Record Check
Bremen travels to Dortmund in twelfth place with 17 points, and the table looks tight rather than comfortable. They are level on points with Cologne ahead of them and only 1 point ahead of Hamburger SV behind them, so every little move counts. The snowy weather postponed the game against Hoffenheim and extended the break in competition, and in Bundesliga terms, their form is worrying, with five league games without a win. Bremen’s last five league appearances have been tough. The 0-0 draw in Augsburg brought defensive order but too little punch up front, after which Stuttgart rubbed salt in the wound with a brutal 4-0 win at home. The derby at HSV was lost 3-2 after some good attacking moments, and the 1-1 draw against Cologne felt like another missed opportunity to climb the table. In Leipzig, they lost 2-0, with phases of play rarely converting into clear chances. After the break, Bremen continue to concede too many goals. They have conceded in the second half in four of five games and have not won a single game after the break in this series, which costs points. Stage was a rare constant, and Lynen says a system adjustment felt better, but injuries are taking their toll. Weiser and Agu are out, Boniface is out for the season, and Milosevic has come in with a broken hand.
Steffen is likely to stick with the recently tweaked 3-5-2, with Backhaus the probable starter behind a back three of Stark, Friedl, and Pieper. The whole thing should come down heavily on the wingers Sugawara and Schmidt, who spread the field wide, while Lynen holds the middle and Stage provides pressure with his runs between the penalty areas. Puertas seems like the obvious link to the front line. Up front, Topp is planned as a starting eleven candidate, Schmid currently has a slight edge for the role of second striker, although Njinmah would be an option with more deep runs. Boniface is out after knee surgery, Milosevic is listed with a broken hand, so the selection is limited. Weiser and Agu are still missing on the wings, and Wöbers’ muscle problems leave little room for rotation in the back three.
Dortmund – Werder Head-to-Head & Statistics
Dortmund are unbeaten in their last five encounters, with three wins and two draws. The most recent game, in January 2025, ended 2-2, after Dortmund had played out a 0-0 draw away in 2024. This was followed by a series of Dortmund victories, including a 2-1 win in Bremen in 2024, a 1-0 win at home in 2023, and a 2-0 win away. This sequence also shows a clear dip. Three consecutive Dortmund victories in 2023 and 2024 were followed by two draws. Goals were mostly in short supply, with four of the five games remaining under 3.5, including a series of four games under 3.5 that only ended with the 2-2 draw in January 2025. Bremen usually kept it close, but they also failed to find a win. Interestingly, the early stages were one-sided. In these five games, Bremen never scored before the break, and Dortmund also did not concede a goal in the first half, which speaks for long periods of control and patient build-up play. However, the 2-2 draw in January 2025 showed that Bremen can strike as soon as the game opens up, but the pattern suggests that the first half is usually the hardest period for them.
