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Bayern's Mario Goetze, left, and Bremen's Assani Lukimya from Congo challenge for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern and SV Werder Bremen in the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Bayern's Mario Goetze, left, and Bremen's Assani Lukimya from Congo challenge for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern and SV Werder Bremen in the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)Matthias Schrader/Associated Press

Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich: Team News, Predicted line-ups, Live Stream & TV

Clark WhitneyMar 13, 2015

Bayern Munich resume their Bundesliga campaign on Saturday after hammering Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 in Munich to secure progression to the Champions League quarter-finals. The Bundesliga leaders are on a tear right now, having won five consecutive fixtures in all competitions following a draw with the Ukrainians in the first leg in L'viv.

This weekend, Bayern visit a resurgent Werder Bremen. The northern German side had slipped into anonymity in the last few years and were last in the table when Viktor Skrypnyk took the helm for Robin Dutt last October. Still in the relegation zone in mid-season, Bremen have since leaped up to eighth in the table and are serious contenders for a Europa League spot.

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With the gap from the top to runners-up Wolfsburg still 11 points, the same as it was during the winter break, Bayern will be keen to take three points and move another step towards clinching their third consecutive Bundesliga title. But Skrypnyk and company have a real point to prove as they look to continue their resurgence and return to international club competitions for the first time since 2009-10. Saturday's match could yet revive the much-missed passion and intensity that characterized Bayern vs. Bremen games in the 2000s.

Date: Saturday, March 14

Time: 2:30 p.m. GMT/10:30 a.m. ET

Venue: Weserstadion, Bremen

TV Info: Not available (UK only)/Gol TV (U.S. only)

Live Stream: Gol TV (U.S. only)

Form Guide 

Bremen Bayern
Augsburg: winPaderborn: win
Schalke: drawKoln: win
Wolfsburg: lossBraunschweig: win
Bielefeld: loss
Hannover: win
Freiburg: winShakhtar: win

Predicted line-up

Both Bayern and Bremen will be without their top scorer on Saturday: The hosts will be missing the suspended Franco di Santo, while Bayern will have to manage in the absence of Arjen Robben, who picked up a minor injury in the Shakhtar game. Franck Ribery will also be out, having taken a knock in midweek, and Xabi Alonso will miss the match due to suspension.

Bayern will in all likelihood feature Robert Lewandowski, Thomas Muller and Mario Gotze in attack, supported by David Alaba, Sebastian Rode and Bastian Schweinsteiger. Although Philipp Lahm is fit to play once more, the back four will most likely consist of Rafinha and Juan Bernat, with two of Jerome Boateng, Medhi Benatia and Holger Badstuber at center-back ahead of Manuel Neuer.

For Bremen, Davie Selke will likely stand in for Di Santo alongside Fin Bartels. Levin Oztunali will be the playmaker, with Clemens Fritz, Philipp Bargfrede and Zlatko Junuzovic behind him in midfield. The back five will likely include Raphael Wolf in goal with Jannik Vestergaard and Sebastian Prodl in interior defense and Gebre Selassie and Santiago Garcia wide.

Players to watch

Franco di Santo would have been a real danger-man for Bremen, but is suspended for Saturday's match. With the Argentine absent, young German forward Davie Selke will be the man to pay attention to at the peak of Skrypnyk's attack.

Looking further back, Bremen have some considerable threats in midfield. Zlatko Junuzovic is one of the Bundesliga's best free-kick takers, while Levin Oztunali has made huge strides in his development and is more than capable of playing a killer pass.

For Bayern, just about every player is worth consideration as a threat on goal. Even defender David Alaba has made a name for himself with some beautiful free-kick goals in recent weeks, while center-backs Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber were on target against Shakhtar.

Thomas Muller has been in scintillating form as well, and he has to be the biggest threat for Bayern going forward. But the likes of Franck Ribery, Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski are, of course, always worth a look.
 

Key Battles

Levin Oztunali v Bastian Schweinsteiger

The present meets the future of Germany's central midfield on Saturday as 30-year-old international captain Schweinsteiger takes on Oztunali a day before his 19th birthday. The veteran needs no introduction, having led Germany to victory at the 2014 World Cup. He started against Shakhtar and could be given a rest with Xabi Alonso replacing him, but if he starts, it will make for a very interesting narrative.

The grandson of German legend Uwe Seeler, Oztunali has the pedigree of a champion. After an unsuccessful year-and-a-half at Leverkusen, he moved to Bremen on loan. A natural central midfielder with a creative touch, Oztunali has asserted himself in the Bremen lineup by assisting three of the club's last four goals. He seems to have a very bright future ahead of him.

Sebastian Prodl v Thomas Muller

Thomas Muller was Bayern's best player in midweek, with his cool penalty to open the scoring and another goal later on putting Bayern in control and on to victory against Shakhtar. The Germany international also scored a brace against Hannover last weekend. With four goals in two matches, he's Bayern's most in-form attacker.

The entire Bremen defense will have to pay attention to Muller, who is renowned for his ability to slip into open spaces. Sebastian Prodl in particular will have to pay attention to him, though, the 27-year-old being his side's most senior center-back and located in the area Muller most often looks to attack.

Odds (Via Odds Shark)

Bremen: 8.5-1

Draw: 4-1

Bayern: 1-3

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