Werder Bremen vs. Schalke 04: Time, TV Schedule and Game Preview

Even for a melancholy Schalke 04, this is unfamiliar territory.

The club from Gelsenkirchen are currently looking up at Werder Bremen, who have fallen from their German elite status since the departure of Mesut Özil and Per Mertesacker. They have two points thanks to two comeback draws against Bayern Munich and Eintracht Frankfurt, and sit in the relegation zone with other cached Bundesliga clubs Hamburg SV and Stuttgart.

This is not all Jens Keller’s fault, though. The injury bug has halved his team, and the suspensions of Julian Draxler and Kevin-Prince Boateng certainly does not help his cause. Luckily, Schalke is facing a team that is worse defensively than they are, which is hard to do after giving up nine goals in four matches.

The midweek fixture does not come at an opportune time for the Königsblauen. That said, if Schalke can hold their own against the might of Chelsea after a plane trip, they can drive up a few kilometers to extract some points from Bremen.

Key Player: Roman Neustädter

With casualties all around him, Neustädter has had to assume a commander’s role in Schalke’s defense. Jens Keller has moved him to center back due to a lack of bodies, where he is partnering with Kaan Ayhan who has more allowed goals than matches played. He is not the ideal center back, but his aerial ability will be important against the heights of Franco di Santo.

Key Matchup: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting vs. Assani Lukimya and Sebastian Prödl

Their strengths match equally with their weaknesses. Choupo-Moting wins an average amount of balls in the air for someone of his height, but has the on-the-ball skills to embarrass defenders. Lukimya and Prödl are monsters in the air, but have surrendered a few goals because of not closing down the ball. With injuries and suspensions, Choupo-Moting might be the best option that Keller has to field in attack, and if he can weave his way around Raphael Wolf’s body guards, he might have a chance to find the back of the net once or twice.

Bremen Injuries and Suspensions:

Out: Philipp Bargfrede (knee), Theodor Gebre Selassie (ankle), Nils Petersen (stomach flu), Julian von Haacke (knee), Luca Zander (knee)

Schalke 04 Injuries and Suspensions:

Out: Jefferson Farfán (knee), Felipe Santana (muscle tear), Fabian Giefer (groin), Leon Goretzka (muscle tear) Benedikt Höwedes (ligament tear), Sead Kolašinac (knee) In Doubt: Jan Kirchhoff (knee), Joël Matip (groin) Suspended: Julian Draxler, Kevin-Prince Boateng

Both teams will be missing key players, but Werder Bremen’s injury list looks like a footnote compared to the amalgamation of inactives for Schalke. The rise of di Santo as a goalscorer and David Selke as a youthful strike partner makes Nils Petersen stomach flu easier to swallow. Theodor Gebre Selassie’s absence has left the flanks a bit exposed, making Bremen the worst set-piece defending team in the Bundesliga.

One of Matip or Kirchhoff could lighten the load for the makeshift Schalke defense, but both will be game-time decisions. A wild series of events against Eintracht Frankfurt will leave Keller with out two of his best forward players, Julian Draxler and Kevin-Prince Boateng, but the Königsblauen have enough in attacking options to put pressure on a Bremen back line that cannot defend shots from distance.

Match Date/Time: Tuesday, 8:00 p.m. local, 2:00 p.m. EDT

Venue: Weserstadion, Bremen, Germany

TV: MyGermanTV+ (USA), Sky Bundesliga 2 | HD (Germany)

Online: Sky Go (Germany)

Listings from livesoccertv.com