Europe the goal for Bremen and Leipzig | OneFootball

Werder Bremen and RB Leipzig face off with European football at stake

Werder Bremen host RB Leipzig on Bundesliga Matchday 33, in a huge clash in the race for European qualification. While the former are looking to return to UEFA competition for the first time in 15 years, the latter have a continental run to defend...

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Tuesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final second-leg clash between Inter Milan and Barcelona at the San Siro was "unfiltered insanity" according to British newspaper The Daily Mail. Following the culmination of 120 minutes of pulsating football, Inter booked their place in the showpiece courtesy of a 4-3 win on the night and a 7-6 aggregate triumph.

Although he didn't set foot on the field, part of Inter's squad was Marko Arnautović. This season, the 36-year-old could become the join David Alaba as the second Austrian to win Europe's premier club tournament twice, having already lifted the trophy with Inter in 2009/10.

Curiously, Arnautović is the only remaining active player who participated in Bremen's last match in Europe which, ironically, was a 3-0 Champions League win over Inter. It was a win that could not keep Werder in the competition, but Arnautović did at least score the game's second goal; club legend Claudio Pizarro bagged the third.

Marko Arnautović (l.) scored in Bremen's last European encounter. (imago sportfotodienst)

Since that night 15 years ago, Bremen have been through some difficult times, even spending a season in Bundesliga 2. Now, however, there is hope that they can make a long-awaited return to UEFA competition.

With two games of the Bundesliga campaign remaining, Werder can still theoretically qualify for the Champions League. Nevertheless, successive draws - including a 2-2 share of the spoils at Union Berlin despite leading 2-0 - has all but ended that particular push. Still, three points over Leipzig would keep them well in the running for UEFA Conference League qualification heading into the final day

Considering Leipzig currently occupy that sixth spot and are just three points ahead of Bremen, the meeting between the two on Saturday afternoon will have a big impact on how things play out.

"We will give everything against Leipzig. We still believe we can achieve something, which we really want. We are fully focussed," said sporting director Peter Niemeyer in the build-up.

>>> European qualification latest!

For Leipzig, Bremen are something of a favoured opponent. The Saxony outfit have won 10 of their 15 Bundesliga duels with Werder, losing only twice.

However, Zsolt Lőw's team do not arrive at the Weserstadion in the best of form. In the second half of the season, they have picked up just 20 points. This could still be the worst second half of a campaign in the club's history, although two victories in the last two matchdays would prevent that.

They did at least put in a strong display last time out, snatching a 3-3 draw against champions Bayern Munich to move to within two points of fourth. "Our performance against Bayern in the first half, as well as our late equaliser, will give us momentum. We want to finish as high as possible," said goalscorer Benjamin Šeško, also adding he believes the final two weekends will be "tense".

Unlike Bremen, Leipzig are European regulars, finishing no lower than sixth in each of their eight Bundesliga seasons and always ending up above Werder. Bremen are desperate to change that and are eager to live their own "unfiltered insanity" on the international stage. It remains to be seen who will come out on top on the penultimate weekend of 2024/25.

>>> Click here for the Matchday 33 permutations!

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