Stuttgart vs Werder Bremen – News and Probable Lineups

MHPArena will serve as the venue for a matchup that impacts both the upper and lower tiers of the Bundesliga table this Sunday, as Champions League-contending Stuttgart face off against relegation-threatened Werder Bremen.

Die Roten aim to capitalize on their recent DFB-Pokal success, while Die Werderaner are striving for consecutive wins for just the second occasion this season.

Match overview

Head coach Sebastian Hoeness has guided Stuttgart through a strong season, rebounding from a disappointing ninth place finish in 2024-25 to challenge for a top-four position.

With only four matches remaining in the Bundesliga, Die Roten currently occupy the fourth place in the league, two points ahead of fifth-placed Hoffenheim and four points above sixth-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

In addition to that encouraging position, Hoeness’s squad is on track to defend their DFB-Pokal title after a dramatic extra-time winner from Tiago Tomas eliminated Freiburg in Thursday’s semi-final, paving the way for a showdown with Bayern Munich on May 23.

However, Stuttgart’s consistency has been questionable in recent weeks, alternating between victories and defeats over their last eight matches across all competitions.

In their latest fixture, Die Roten followed a commanding 4-0 victory against Hamburgo SV on April 12 with a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Bayern a week later, before recovering with success against Die Breisgau-Brasilianer in the cup.

If the hosts cannot solidify their form in the final stretch of the 2025-26 season, they might find themselves overtaken by rivals for a top-four finish. Nevertheless, more optimistic supporters at the MHPArena will note that the club has achieved back-to-back home victories for the first time since mid-February.

On the other hand, Daniel Thioune has done well in the Werder Bremen managerial position after succeeding Horst Steffen, despite his team’s future in the Bundesliga still hanging in the balance with four matches left to play.

Currently, Die Werderaner are placed 15th in the league, having accrued 31 points, which puts them five points clear of 16th-placed St Pauli, the team in the relegation playoff zone.

This cushion was earned through a hard-fought 3-1 win over Hamburgo SV in last Saturday’s Nordderby, a match that saw Jens Stage score twice, with Cameron Peurtas sealing the victory with a late effort in the 91st minute.

This victory marked their fourth win in seven matches for the Green-Whites, as they found their rhythm at a crucial time after a run of 13 matches without a win.

Adding to the visitors’ confidence is their recent form away from home, which includes victories in two of their last three matches—1-0 against Wolfsburg and 4-1 against Union Berlin—but another defeat could see them dragged back into a relegation battle.

Team News

Stuttgart will miss centre-back Finn Jeltsch as he is recovering from an abdominal injury, but Luca Jaquez and Jeff Chabot are expected to start in the heart of the defense, supported by Josha Vagnoman and Ramon Hendriks on the flanks.

Die Roten are also without young wingers Justin Diehl and Lazar Jovanovic due to muscle and back injuries, respectively, but Chris Fuhrich, Deniz Undav, and Jamie Leweling should be ready to assist striker Tiago Tomas up front.

Conversely, Werder Bremen has a lengthy list of absences for Saturday’s fixture, as versatile forward Marco Grull is suspended, striker Keke Topp is sidelined for the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, and fellow forward Victor Boniface is doubtful as he recovers from illness.

Due to these circumstances, Thioune may choose to start Jovan Milosevic as the main forward this weekend, supported by Justin Njinmah and Romano Schmid, although Boniface could still be included in the squad after positive reports about his training performances.

At the opposite end, goalkeeper Karl Hein has been ruled out for the season due to a thumb injury, as has centre-back Julian Malatini, who is struggling with an ankle ligament tear.

However, left-back Felix Agu and right-back Mitchell Weiser—who has not played throughout the entirety of the 2025-26 season due to an ACL injury—could potentially return for the last few games, though both are expected to miss the match against Stuttgart.

To fill the gaps left by their absentees, the visitors are likely to field Amos Pieper and Marco Friedl in central defense, shielding goalkeeper Mio Backhaus, while Yukinari Sugawara and Olivier Deman will take up the full-back positions.

Additionally, defensive midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt is suspended following his fifth yellow card of the season in the Nordderby, while 19-year-old Wesley Adeh continues to recover from an ankle injury, allowing Jens Stage, Senne Lynen, and Cameron Puertas to control the midfield area.

Stuttgart probable starting XI:

Nubel; Vagnoman, Jaquez, Chabot, Hendriks; Karazor, Stiller; Leweling, Undav, Fuhrich; Tomas

Werder Bremen probable starting XI:

bakery; Sugawara, Pieper, Friedl, Deman; Stage, Lynen, Puertas; Njinmah, Milosevic, Schmid

Stuttgart has shown inconsistent performances lately, but they are expected to secure a victory against one of the Bundesliga’s relegation contenders on Saturday.

Nonetheless, Werder could offer a stiff challenge following significant improvements under Thioune, although anything less than another defeat would be unexpected.