Bundesliga action continues tomorrow, Tuesday, January 13, 2026, as Borussia Dortmund welcomes Werder Bremen to the Signal Iduna Park. Kick-off is scheduled for 19:30 GMT (20:30 local time).
Niko Kovač’s men enter the tie in second place, trailing only Bayern Munich, while a struggling Werder Bremen side looks to snap a winless streak that has seen them slide into the bottom half of the table.
The Storyline: Title Pursuit vs. Winter Rust
Borussia Dortmund: Looking for Defensive Solidity
Dortmund enters 2026 in strong league position but with some defensive question marks. Their first outing of the year was a wild 3–3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt, where they required a 96th-minute equalizer from Carney Chukwuemeka to rescue a point. Despite the high-scoring affair, BVB has been an absolute fortress at home this season, conceding just four goals in seven matches at the Signal Iduna Park.
With a four-point cushion over fifth-placed Stuttgart, Dortmund knows that securing three points against a lower-ranked opponent is vital to keeping their Champions League—and title—aspirations on track.
Werder Bremen: The Fresh (but Rusty) Challengers
Werder Bremen arrives in Dortmund having had an unusually long winter break. Their Matchday 16 fixture against Hoffenheim was postponed due to snow and freezing temperatures, meaning Horst Steffen’s side has not played a competitive match since December 20th.
Currently sitting 12th, the "Green-Whites" are on a five-game winless run (D2, L3) and have struggled significantly on the road, managing just one win in their last eight away trips. To make matters worse, they will be without their primary goal threat as they face the league's most daunting home crowd.
Team News & Probable Lineups
Borussia Dortmund Team News
Return: Jobe Bellingham is available again after serving a suspension and is expected to compete for a starting spot in midfield.
Absentees: Defender Aarón Anselmino (hamstring) is out, and Ramy Bensebaïni is away on international duty for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Ryerson, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Svensson; Sabitzer, Nmecha; Beier, Brandt, Chukwuemeka; Guirassy.
Werder Bremen Team News
Big Blow: Star striker Victor Boniface is sidelined long-term following knee surgery.
Debut Watch: New signing Jovan Milosevic could make his first appearance for the club.
Injury Concerns: First-choice goalkeeper Mio Backhaus is a doubt due to a minor eye injury sustained in training.
Predicted XI (3-5-2): Backhaus (or Zetterer); Stark, Friedl, Pieper; Sugawara, Stage, Lynen, Puertas, Schmidt; Njinmah, Schmid.
Head-to-Head (H2H) & Key Stats
The Streak: Dortmund is unbeaten in their last five Bundesliga meetings against Werder Bremen (3W, 2D).
Tuesday Hoodoo: Curiously, Dortmund has won only one of their last eight Bundesliga matches held on a Tuesday (D2, L5).
Home Dominance: Dortmund has kept a clean sheet in eight of their nine league wins so far this season.
Recent Meeting: The last time these sides met, it ended in a thrilling 2–2 draw in January 2025.
Tactical Analysis: Firepower vs. The Low Block
The match will likely follow a familiar pattern: Dortmund dominating possession (averaging over 55% at home) while trying to break down a compact Bremen defense. With Maximilian Beier and Serhou Guirassy in high-scoring form, Dortmund has the variety to attack both through the center and out wide.
Bremen will likely adopt a "sit and counter" approach. Without Boniface, they will rely on the pace of Justin Njinmah and the creative vision of Romano Schmid, who ranks near the top of the league for big chances created this season.
Match Prediction
Dortmund’s formidable home record and Bremen's lack of recent match practice make the hosts heavy favorites. If BVB can avoid the defensive lapses seen in Frankfurt, they should see this out comfortably.
Final Score Prediction: Borussia Dortmund 3–0 Werder Bremen
