Mitchell-Elijah Weiser’s comeback is the story at Werder Bremen. After 14 months out with a cruciate ligament injury in his right knee, he has managed just 2 Bundesliga appearances in 2026 and 29 minutes in total. Yet one of those cameos was enough to decide FC Augsburg, when he scored the stoppage-time winner in Bremen’s 3-2 comeback.
Weiser's rehabilitation and return
The injury layoff lasted 14 months, and Weiser also said there were background issues he had to fight through to get back on the pitch. The knee problem was the part that forced the long absence, but he has been open about the mental strain around the recovery as well.
Speaking to SPORT1 in comments translated from German, Weiser said: "When you get up every morning, consciously notice every stair and at some point almost develop a psychosis from it, from how your knee or your body feels right now, then that is not easy."
He made his return on Matchday 3 in the 1:1 draw at 1. FC Köln. A week later, he was again involved in a way Bremen could not have scripted much better.
The Augsburg finish
Weiser told bundesliga.com the night felt "like a movie" because he came on against Augsburg, equalised and then scored the winner in stoppage time. Bremen were 2-0 down before completing the turnaround, and he described the goal as proof that the months of rehab had been worth it.
The numbers back up how limited the comeback still is. Weiser has only 2 Bundesliga appearances in 2026, but he already has 1 goal, and his season-average Bundesliga rating stands at 6.43. That is a small sample, but it does show he has made an immediate impact when he has been available.
He has not thought much about his expiring contract, either. The only thing that looks settled right now is the comeback itself, not what comes after it.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
