The opponents: Dortmund are in contention for the title. Although they lost the prestigious RevierDerby, title rivals Bayern also dropped points against Nürnberg, leaving everything wide open at the top. Before the season, nobody would have thought it possible, but head coach Lucien Favre has brought some success back to the club after a mixed year and a lot of unrest. With 69 points so far, the Black-Yellows are enjoying one of the best Bundesliga campaigns in the club’s history. However, after the 5-0 loss to Bayern the team seems to be lacking mentally. In the previous game, Marco Reus and Marius Wolf received early marching orders after picking up red cards within five minutes of each other, which shows that the pressure may finally be getting to the young team. Werder will look to make the most of it in a sold-out Weser-Stadion.
Key player: Thomas Delaney personifies Dortmund’s game mentality. The former Werder man occupies a midfield area in front of the defense and for many fans is the aggressive player that the team has been lacking in previous seasons. The Dane normally partners Axel Witsel in midfield and the experienced pair play an important role in the build-up of Dortmund’s attacks. Delaney made 49 competitive appearances for Werder Bremen, scoring seven goals and racking up the same amount of assists.
The officials: Marco Fritz will take charge of the game. The last Werder game that Fritz refereed was the 3-1 home victory against 1. FSV Mainz on Matchday 27. The 41 year old will be assisted by linesmen Dominik Schaal and Marcel Pelgrim. Johann Pfeifer is the fourth official for the game and the video assistants are Frank Willenborg and Arne Aarnink.