Bayern against Bremen: A competition with a historical background!

Bayern against Bremen: A competition with a historical background!

Things get serious for SV Werder Bremen on Friday evening when they face FC Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga duel. This rivalry has a long history, dating back to the 1980s, when Werder Bremen was considered one of Bayern's fiercest title rivals. Historically, many transfers between the two clubs have affected the balance of power, sparking controversy among supporters of both sides. Otto Rehhagel and Andreas Herzog, among others, moved from Bremen to Munich in 1995, which weakened Bremen athletically. The two players not only left their sporting but also emotional footprints on the club.

Another sad point for Bremen was the transfer of Claudio Pizarro in 2001, who developed from a top striker at Werder into a Bayern hero after changing clubs four times. But the changes of Miroslav Klose (2007) and Valérien Ismaël (2005) also made it clear that Werder was increasingly losing its sporting splendor over the years. These transfers reflect, on the one hand, the club's fluctuating performance and, on the other hand, a decrease in attractiveness for players who want to go to Bayern. Südwest24 shows that Werder have only reached second place in the Bundesliga once since Klose's move - that was in the 2007/08 season.

Current situation of SV Werder Bremen

SV Werder Bremen, the largest sports club in Bremen with over 64,000 members, has not recorded any new additions in the current 2026/27 season. This could be a sign that the club is currently not seeing any urgently needed reinforcements to further consolidate its position in the Bundesliga. There were also no transfers in previous seasons, which indicates continuity in the squad, even if the gap to the top teams is widening. Transfermarkt notes that there were no departures as well as new arrivals in last year's transfer period.

The sporting guidelines of the club, which was founded on February 4, 1899 and plays in green and white, are actively led by President Hubertus Hess-Grunewald and his team. Head coach Horst Steffen has the task of taking the team further forward in the Bundesliga. With 14 national titles, including four championships, Werder can look back on a proud history despite declining performances. Wikipedia notes that Werder Bremen has accepted the challenges of recent years and has been trying to consolidate since being promoted back to the Bundesliga in 2021.

A look into the future

Given the current situation and the challenges we have recently overcome, Werder's focus is now on training young talent and a strong fan community with around 780 registered fan clubs. These deep roots in the city and the various social commitments, such as supporting refugee children, show that Werder is more than just a football club. “Football” is lived here – and that goes far beyond the pitch.

For the upcoming game against FC Bayern, it will be crucial for Werder not to allow the gap to the top to grow any further and to turn the traditional rivalry into a sporting festival in which the budget and traditional clubs duel on the pitch.