Werder Bremen go into their DFB-Pokal trip to Luneburger SK Hansa as heavy favourites, but the tie is not just about the size of the gap. Four divisions separate the clubs, and Bremen still arrive with summer changes, injury doubts and a squad that needed a late-season rescue in 2025.

Bremen's summer rebuild

Werder's league season ended with them 15th in the Bundesliga in 2025, on 32 points from 34 matches and with a 37-60 goal difference. They did finish strongly, winning five of their final stretch of league matches after taking only one point from the previous three, which at least stopped the slide from becoming worse.

The rebuild has not been clean. Sports Mole reported that new signings Wojcik and Hein are both unavailable because of muscular problems, so they will not make their debuts this weekend. That leaves Werder Bremen with some obvious absences in a game where rotation should still be enough to dominate territory, but not necessarily to make everything comfortable.

Hansa's opening chance

For Luneburger SK Hansa, the appeal is simple. They are back in the DFB-Pokal first round for the first time in nine years, and they have a chance to turn a routine away draw into something awkward for a Bundesliga side that is still putting itself back together.

Their league start has been mixed, with a 3-2 loss away at Eintracht Braunschweig II and a 2-2 home draw with Meppen II. That does not point to a giant-killing run, but it does show a side that can stay in games for spells. Sports Mole's preview put the ceiling plainly: LSK Hansa will try to give a good account of themselves, though the gulf in quality could prove decisive.

That is probably the right read. Werder Bremen should have too much over 90 minutes, yet the combination of a fresh cup return, a rebuilt squad and a couple of missing new faces gives Luneburger SK Hansa a real target for the opening stages of the tie.

The match, Lüneburger SK Hansa vs Werder Bremen, is scheduled for 22 August.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →