Stuttgart - Werder: Match Preview and Predictions

April 13, 2025. 16:30. Stuttgart. Mercedes-Benz Arena
German Championship. Matchday 29

Stuttgart – Werder Bremen

Missing the match: Henry Chase, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Amin Al-Dakhil (suspension), Nicolas Nartey, Justin Diehl, Luka Raimund – Milos Velkovic

Matches between neighboring teams in the standings are always interesting events, as both teams are in a similar competitive form and we anticipate a balanced confrontation with unpredictable outcomes. Moreover, the recent encounters between these rivals have been captivating. This season, for instance, Stuttgart and Werder played to a 2-2 draw in Bremen. With only a handful of matches remaining until the end of the season, every fixture is doubly important, especially for clubs that still have objectives in mind, such as qualifying for European competitions.

Stuttgart

The season for Stuttgart is unlikely to be as good or impressive as last year's performance. The remaining matches will raise another question: will this season end in total failure for the Swabians, or can they salvage the situation and bring some joy to their fans? After 28 rounds, Sebastian Hoeness’s team has collected 40 points and currently sits 9th in the standings. This is far from the result everyone expected from Stuttgart, but I would not describe Hoeness's team's performance as a sensation. Let's not forget that Stuttgart lost three key players during the summer. While the forward – Giroud – has been somewhat replaced, the loss of two central defenders – Hiroki Ito and Waldemar Anton – has significantly impacted Stuttgart's play. A careful examination of the standings reveals that Hoeness’s team ranks fifth in goals scored (51), but only tenth in goals conceded. It is this defensive reliability that is missing for them to be in Champions League contention. It turns out that the fears were misplaced; everyone worried about Stuttgart's scoring potential without Giroud, but the real concern should have been their defensive shortcomings without Ito and Anton.

Nevertheless, as I mentioned earlier, Stuttgart still has a chance to salvage the season. After the game against Werder, they will face several weaker opponents, and the season will conclude with a clash against Leipzig, which could be decisive in the battle for a top-four finish if Stuttgart can win their remaining matches.

Werder

Ole Werner has been with Werder for 3.5 years and is once again on the brink of European competition spots. In terms of squad and financial potential, the players are, at best, in the Bundesliga’s top-10. Many refer to them as the best of the worst, that is, a leader among the relegation candidates and a relegation candidate among the leaders. With victories in the last two rounds, Ole Werner’s team has secured their spot in the Bundesliga for the next season, but fans dream of a return to European competitions. Currently, Werder is in 10th place with 39 points, but they are only 6 points away from the 6th spot (Conference League) and 9 points from the Champions League. There are few matches left this season to dream about a top-four finish, but the 6th spot can still be occupied under certain conditions. To achieve this, it is crucial not to lose at Stuttgart.