Escaping relegation after winning the playoff last season, Werder Bremen start the new Bundesliga campaign against a favourable foe as they take on a Hertha Berlin team that they’re unbeaten against in 13 straight H2Hs (W5, D8). However that streak could be in jeopardy if Bremen continue a recent worrying trend that has seen them go winless in their previous six first home games of a new top-flight campaign (D2, L4).
Another concern comes from Bremen’s poor home displays last season, that saw them record the second lowest home points tally, as well as score a league-low 0.88 goals per Bundesliga home fixture - a poor showing for a team that holds the record for most seasons played in the Bundesliga (56).
Hertha Berlin’s 5-4 cup loss at the hands of second-tier Braunschweig last time out would have been a blow to morale as they travel here seeking their first win at Bremen since March 2006 (D3, L9 following). They can take confidence from the fact they’ve won three of their previous five first away games of a new Bundesliga campaign though (W3, D1, L1).
The visitors were difficult to predict from their first-half performances last term, with just 41.18% of their Bundesliga away games seeing the HT result replicated at FT. However a lot of that was due to Hertha’s improved attacking prowess after the break, with the Berlin-based side netting 76% of their away goals during the second half.
Players to watch: Josh Sargent netted Bremen’s opener in their recent cup win, and did the same in the last two H2Hs.
Dodi Lukebakio scored either side of HT in Hertha’s cup loss at Braunschweig, and also netted a second-half strike in the last H2H held here.
Hot stat: Just one of the last 12 Bundesliga H2Hs saw a goalless first half.