Werder Bremen vs RB Leipzig: Füllkrug admits Bremen still searching for identity
Werder Bremen face RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on 5 September 2026, with kickoff scheduled for 15:30 CEST. The hosts are still finding their feet after Niclas Füllkrug conceded his side need to gel, while Leipzig arrive with new coach Martín Demichelis enjoying a winning start to life in the dugout.
Team News and Injury Latest
Bremen are dealing with a midfield disruption after losing Jens Stage to injury, a blow that has already prompted the club to explore the market. Reports indicate they have turned to an Ajax talent as they search for a replacement in the engine room.
Leipzig, meanwhile, are close to finalising a deal for Chelsea forward Marc Guiu, though any potential move would not be completed in time for this trip. The Spaniard fits the profile Demichelis wants — a sprinter and counter-pressing forward — but for now the coach will rely on the squad that delivered a comfortable opening-day victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Werder Bremen Form Guide
Füllkrug's honest assessment after a heavy 4-1 defeat at Freiburg set the tone for Bremen's early campaign. “We still need to find ourselves as a team,” the striker admitted, acknowledging that the performance fell short of the standards required in the Bundesliga.
There was some respite in the DFB-Pokal, where Füllkrug and Reis both scored debut goals for the club in a victory in Hamburg. That result offered a confidence boost, but the step back up to league opposition represents a sterner test of whether the side has genuinely progressed since the Freiburg loss.
RB Leipzig Form Guide
Demichelis could hardly have scripted a better first Bundesliga match as Leipzig head coach. After overseeing a dominant display against Gladbach, the Argentine said, “I will never forget this day,” reflecting on the performance that saw his team score early and control proceedings with and without the ball.
Leipzig also progressed comfortably in the DFB-Pokal with a win at Moselstadion, maintaining clean momentum through the opening fortnight of competitive action. Demichelis praised his side for coming out aggressively in the second half and playing forward, a style that will test a Bremen defence already breached four times by Freiburg.