Werder Bremen return to Bundesliga duty with a goalkeeper concern before Friday’s trip to Borussia Dortmund. Karl Hein has left the Estonia squad with a muscle problem and will be assessed in Bremen.
The sporting fact
The 24-year-old did not play in Estonia’s Group C4 match against Luxembourg on Saturday evening. He is expected back in Bremen on Sunday, where further examinations will determine whether he can face league leaders Dortmund.
Hein joined Werder from Arsenal on loan in summer 2025. He initially served as backup to Max Backhaus, then filled in for two matches after Backhaus suffered a shoulder injury. Bremen activated Hein’s purchase option at the end of last season. With Backhaus now at Freiburg, Hein became first choice and has started all four league fixtures this term, with an average rating of 2.75.
If Hein is unavailable, Bremen can turn to experienced alternatives Markus Kolke and Alexander Schlager. Kolke, 36, played the full 90 minutes in the recent 7-0 friendly defeat to Twente Enschede.
Cedric Itten also picked up a problem while away with Switzerland. The forward took a knock to his foot in training and watched Switzerland’s 2-1 win over Slovenia from the stands. He remained with the national team and is expected to return to training on Monday.
Felix Agu is due for an MRI scan on Monday. The left-sided player came off earlier than planned against Twente, and the examination should clarify the extent of the issue.
Next Spieltag
Werder visit Borussia Dortmund on Friday evening at 20:30. Dortmund lead the Bundesliga table.
