Borussia Dortmund vs. Werder Bremen DFB-Pokal preview: Team news and predicted lineups

Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen are set to clash in the second round of the DFB-Pokal, with the German heavyweight hosting their Bremen counterparts for a second time this month. The match, scheduled for Tuesday, represents an opportunity for Dortmund to extend their winning streak to three consecutive competitions. Following their resurgence in European action with goals from Serhou Guirassy in Baku, Niko Kovac's side secured a vital victory over Eintracht Frankfurt with a late strike from Maximilian Beier.

Werder Bremen, six-time cup winners, have faced a tough start to the Bundesliga season, beginning with a heavy loss to Europa League finalists Freiburg. Since then, their only defeat came in a 7-0 friendly game against Twente during the international break. Despite their struggles, Niclas Füllkrug has been in impressive form, and Daniel Thioune's men could be in contention for a European return.

Füllkrug, the top penalty scorer in the Torjägerkanone with eight goals, has led Bremen's attack over the years. He was instrumental in securing a dramatic point against Dortmund in the previous encounter, after the German side came from behind to earn a draw. In their last three meetings, Bremen have triumphed in the Round of 16 stage, with all ties occurring at this stage of the competition. A win in Tuesday's match will see the victors progress to the last 16 of the current season's DFB-Pokal.

For Dortmund, Konstantinos Karetsas will miss the game after being ruled out due to injury, as confirmed by Kovac during a pre-match press conference. Additionally, Ramy Bensebaini will serve the final game of his suspension for his red card shown during the Franz Beckenbauer Supercup. Olivier Deman's availability for the visitors remains uncertain, as he was substituted off at half-time against Mainz.

Despite Bremen's injury concerns, including key players Jens Stage, Justin Njinmah, and Niklas Stark, Thioune may still decide to field an unchanged lineup, potentially resting players like Karl Hein and Füllkrug. The predicted lineups for the match include Dortmund's starting XI consisting of Kobel, Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson, Veerman, Svensson, Chukwuemeka, Bellingham, Guirassy, and Fabio Silva.

Bremen, on the other hand, will field a team including Hein, Arthur, Pieper, Friedl, Deman, Reis, Lynen, Chuki, Dinkci, Grüll, and Füllkrug.