Thioune knows the statistic: Hoffenheim have won their last four league games in Bremen
Both sides left the cup this week, Werder beaten 3-2 at Dortmund and Hoffenheim knocked out on penalties by Holstein Kiel. Hoffenheim must do without Alexander Prass, suspended after taking his shirt off to celebrate his goal against Leverkusen.
Daniel Thioune knows the statistic. Hoffenheim have won their last four Bundesliga matches in Bremen, and the Werder coach's answer this week was short: "I know the statistic. But we start at 0-0 and we are working on it." His side, he added, can play on equal terms with the league's best at times, Hoffenheim included, and can turn the run around.
Hoffenheim should win in Bremen again, though not without Werder scoring against them.
He has Niclas Füllkrug to do it with. The striker scored twice in the first 25 minutes of the 3-2 win at Mainz, then came off the bench at Dortmund and scored twice more in a cup tie Werder still lost 3-2. Thioune has said Füllkrug will start again unless something unforeseen happens.
Neither defence offers much reason to expect a quiet game. Werder have scored 15 and conceded 14 in seven league matches; Hoffenheim have scored 14 and conceded 14.
Hoffenheim beat Leverkusen 3-0 last weekend, and Andrej Kramaric's penalty was the club's 1,000th Bundesliga goal. Yet Christian Ilzer has to replace Prass, who scored the second goal in the 89th minute and was shown a second yellow card for removing his shirt. Thioune said he is no fan of the rule.
