BVBWLD.de
·16 May 2026
BVB starting XI in Bremen: Nmecha back, Brandt set for emotional farewell

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Yahoo sportsBVBWLD.de
·16 May 2026

In the final Bundesliga match of the season, Borussia Dortmund face Werder Bremen. Alongside BVB’s lineup, several emotional farewells are the main focus.
Borussia Dortmund go into the final Bundesliga match of the season on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) away at SV Werder Bremen with several changes. At the Osterdeich, coach Niko Kovac is once again relying on Felix Nmecha, who makes his first start since suffering ankle ligament damage. The Germany international recently celebrated his comeback against Eintracht Frankfurt (3:2) and is now set to gain more match practice ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan, meanwhile, are initially only on the bench. For the trio, the match in Bremen will also mark their farewell to BVB. The afternoon is likely to be especially emotional for Brandt, who will play his final match for Dortmund in his hometown. Where the attacking player will move to in the summer remains unclear.
From a sporting perspective, the match has little significance left. Dortmund have already secured second place, while Bremen have ensured survival. Nevertheless, both teams want to end the season on a positive note. BVB could still finish their strong campaign with 73 points.
At Werder, too, the focus is on a farewell. Former BVB star Leonardo Bittencourt will be officially bid goodbye after seven years. Despite muscular problems, the midfielder has at least made the bench. A brief farewell appearance seems likely.

Photo: IMAGO
Before the season finale, Kovac drew an overall positive conclusion. “If I sum everything up, we are very satisfied with what we showed this season,” said the Dortmund coach. However, he was still particularly annoyed by the Champions League exit against Atalanta Bergamo. “One round too few,” Kovac made clear.
After the match in Bremen, BVB will first head into the summer break. But that does not mean the players will be completely free of work. With a smile, Kovac said: “The boys certainly won’t be lazing around. You know me: there’s no such thing as lazing around.”
Werder Bremen lineup: Backhaus – Schmidt, Coulibaly, Deman – Stage, Lynen, Puertas – Njinmah, Musah, Schmid BVB lineup: Kobel – Reggiani, Anton, Schlotterbeck – Ryerson, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson – Beier, Inacio – Guirassy. BVB bench: Meyer, Süle, Couto, Özcan, Sabitzer, Brandt, Chukwuemeka, Silva, Adeyemi.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.
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