Looking to reach the halfway mark on a high | OneFootball

Werder’s last home game finished in a 4-1 win over Union Berlin (photo: W.DE)

Previewing Wednesday night’s home clash with Heidenheim

The final game of the first half of the 2024/25 Bundesliga season sees SVW welcome 1. FC Heidenheim to the Weserstadion on Wednesday night (20:30 CET). Ole Werner has made his aim clear for the second game in this triple header at the start of the new year: reach the halfway mark on a high with another three points on the board.

Team news: Head coach Ole Werner remains without long-term absentees Keke Topp and Felix Agu, who are both out with ankle injuries. Captain Marco Friedl is also missing after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in Leipzig last time out.

Ole Werner on the opposition: “We know what to expect. They’re a very physical and hard-running side, but they have also improved their technical side of the game over the past few years. We will need to make sure our defensive balance is right and show our full quality.”

Building a fortress and familiar faces

Patrick Mainka played 34 times for Werder’s U23s (photo: nordphoto)

Previous meetings: Werder’s head-to-head record with FCH doesn’t make for pleasant reading. The Green-Whites’ only victories came at home in the 2. Bundesliga in 2021 (3-0) and in the second round of the DFB-Pokal in 2019 (4-1). Otherwise, there have been two draws and four defeats for SVW in competitive meetings across the Bundesliga, relegation play-offs, cup and second division.

Home drought turned upside down: The Green-Whites had to wait a long time for their first home win of the season. In fact, their first goal at the Weserstadion only came in late October in a 2-2 draw with title-holders Leverkusen. That marked the start of a strong run on home soil though, with Bremen subsequently securing another 2-2 draw against last season’s runners-up VfB Stuttgart, as well as wins over Holstein Kiel (2-1) and Union Berlin (4-1).

Reunion: Wednesday will be a return to the Weserstadion for a handful of Heidenheim players. Current FCH captain Patrick Mainka (34 games for Werder’s U23s), Marnon Busch (9 Bundesliga appearances), and Norman Theuerkauf (52 games for the U23s) all previously played for the Green-Whites.