Match Preview: 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam vs. Werder Bremen

Photo credit: FFC Turbine Potsdam

Next up in the Women's Bundesliga is 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam against Werder Bremen. Potsdam has struggled this season and is still without a win after 12 games. Bremen, on the other hand, have had a stronger season.

Turbine Potsdam, under the management of coach Kurt Russ, is currently in 12th place with just one point from 12 games, facing relegation. The 1:34 goal ratio illustrates the problems both offensively and defensively. Potsdam has by far the worst offense in the league and along with 1. FC Cologne has the worst defense. 

Their only point came from a 0-0 draw against FC Carl Zeiss Jena. Potsdam were promoted last season, but they are struggling to find a foothold in the league.

In their winter break friendlies, Potsdam recorded a 4-2 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach and an 8-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, but these teams are active in lower leagues and therefore difficult to take in account.

Werder Bremen, under coach Thomas Horsch, is in 8th place with 17 points from 12 games (5 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses). With a goal ratio of 14:18, the Bremen women have a solid record and have been relatively stable so far. They have managed to draw against Vfl Wolfsburg (4th. Place) and Bayer 04 Leverkusen (3rd. Position) and even celebrated a surprise victory against the league leader Frankfurt.

Werder's top scorers are defenders Lara Schmitt and Michelle Ulbrich, who have scored four goals each. Ulbrich, however, was loaned to Bayern Munich during the winter break until the end of the season and is therefore absent from the Bremen women's team. Lara Schmitt, who joined Werder in the summer from 1. FC Nuremberg, remains an important support in the offense and defense.

In the friendlies in the winter break Bremen had to lose 3-2 against Hamburger SV (2. Bundesliga) that may indicate a few weaknesses in the squad that they have yet to fix.

The last meeting between the two teams ended in a 2-0 win for Werder Bremen. Goals from Larissa Mühlhaus and Michelle Ulbrich secured the victory for the Bremen women.

Werder Bremen go into this game as clear favorites, with a good form and a solid record in the current season. Potsdam struggle to get good result but will do everything they can to take the three points to fight relegation.