The Albany Gazette - Battling Bremen braced for Bayern onslaught

With 21 games played, Bremen sit in 16th, the relegation playoff spot, trailing Mainz in 15th on goal difference.

It is a sad state of affairs for the four-time German champions, the only club to have spent as much time in the top flight, 61 seasons, as Bayern during the Bundesliga era.

Famous for Beck's beer and an historic town square, Bremen is not one of Germany's largest or wealthiest cities but popular Werder have a following which extends far and wide.

Double winners in 2004 and 2009 Europa League finalists, Bremen's decline is similar to that of German giants like Hamburg, Schalke and Hertha Berlin; change-resistant clubs failing to keep up while sleepwalking into a crisis of their own making.

Before the season, Bremen sacked coach Ole Werner, who took them to the top-flight and stabilised them in the Bundesliga, after a contract dispute.

Some at the club were critical of Werner for failing to play Bremen-born and raised forward Nick Woltemade, who moved on a free transfer to Stuttgart before a big-money arrival at Newcastle United.

Bremen took a risk with a season-long loan of Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface, but it has not paid off, with the injury-prone Nigerian ruled out for the season.

Werner's replacement, Horst Steffen, was sacked in February, with replacement Daniel Thioune tasked with avoiding the drop.

Thioune sought to boost his players after losing his first game in charge against Freiburg on Saturday.

"The last thing I want to see is people dropping their heads," Thioune said.

"Those who look down can't see what lies ahead.

"I've told the players to believe in the path we're taking and to trust me."

Thioune promised his side would "work diligently and tirelessly to change our situation," with the league leaders their next target.

"In football, you rise to the challenge."

One to watch: Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen)

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza has been the standout of around a dozen who signed with the club in the summer, already emerging as a creative force in midfield.

Laying on assists in back-to-back Champions League matches against Manchester City and Newcastle, Maza has quickly shown his ability on the big stage.

Maza cites Germany's 2014 World Cup winner Mesut Ozil as his inspiration, saying "I was still young then but Ozil was 'wow' for me."

Speaking to the Bundesliga website on Thursday, Maza said he still tried to keep the fun despite the pressure of top-level football.

"Always having fun playing, being brave, being cheeky," Maza said of his game.

"Sometimes a bit of trickery, having fun and just bringing a bit of cheekiness onto the pitch."

Key stats

8 in 24 - Eight of Harry Kane's 24 goals this Bundesliga season have come from the spot. The next best Bundesliga scorer this season is Kane's teammate Luis Diaz, on 13.

6 and 4 in 5 - Bayern talisman Harry Kane made his Bundesliga debut at Bremen and has chalked up six goals and four assists in five matches against them.

16 - Michael Olise has 16 assists this season, the most in the league. On Thursday, he was named Bundesliga player of the month for January, the second time he has won the award this campaign.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Borussia Dortmund v Mainz (1930)

Saturday

Hamburg v Union Berlin, Eintracht Frankfurt v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, Hoffenheim v Freiburg, Bayer Leverkusen v St Pauli, Stuttgart v Cologne (1730)

Sunday

Augsburg v Heidenheim, RB Leipzig v Wolfsburg (1630)

(W.Walker--TAG)