Hoffenheim bolster UEFA Champions League hopes with a win at Werder Bremen
Hoffenheim claimed an impressive 2-0 victory at Werder Bremen despite playing with 10 men for nearly 40 minutes, with Alexander Prass and Grischa Prömel on the scoresheet as Christian Ilzer's side strengthened their UEFA Champions League push.
Werder Bremen 0–2 Hoffenheim
Goals: 0-1 Prass 44' (assist: Kramarić), 0-2 Prömel 54'
Red card: Burger 52'
This rescheduled Matchday 16 fixture saw two clubs in contrasting form meet at the Weserstadion. Bremen entered the match without a win in eight Bundesliga games, sliding down to 15th in the table and just three points above the relegation play-off spot.
The hosts were also dealing with a defensive crisis, missing several key players including Maximilian Wöber, Niklas Stark, Felix Agu, Mitchell Weiser and Marco Friedl. Meanwhile, Hoffenheim arrived in impressive form, having won their first three league matches of 2026 – a club first – as they pushed for Champions League qualification from third position.
Prass rocket breaks deadlock
Bremen started brightly with Justin Njinmah firing narrowly wide in the opening minute after good work from Jens Stage. The first half saw few clear-cut chances, with both teams largely cancelling each other out.
Romano Schmid had an effort blocked from a promising position early on, while Wouter Burger had a header saved at the other end. Just as it seemed the teams would head into the break level, Alexander Prass produced a moment of magic. The Austrian midfielder received Kramarić's lay-off on the edge of the box and unleashed an unstoppable first-time strike that rocketed into the top corner, giving Mio Backhaus no chance!
Prömel doubles lead despite red card
The match took a dramatic turn seven minutes into the second half when Burger was initially shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Cameron Puertas. After a VAR review, referee Frank Willenborg upgraded it to a red card, leaving Hoffenheim with 10 men.
Remarkably, instead of retreating into a defensive shell, the visitors doubled their lead just two minutes later. Vladimir Coufal's cross from the right wasn't properly cleared by the Bremen defence, allowing Grischa Prömel to fire home from close range. The goal survived another VAR check for a possible foul in the build-up, and Hoffenheim found themselves two goals ahead despite their numerical disadvantage.
Bremen wasteful despite numerical advantage
Horst Steffen responded with a triple substitution just before the hour mark, introducing Marco Grüll, Samuel Mbangula and later Keke Topp to bolster Bremen's attacking options. The hosts thought they had pulled one back when Schmid cleverly flicked the ball into the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside following another VAR intervention.
Despite dominating possession and creating several chances, Bremen simply couldn't find a way through. Stage was wasteful late on, heading straight at Baumann in the 79th minute before firing wide from good positions. Topp also missed a golden opportunity in the 86th minute, volleying over from close range.
Even with ten minutes of added time, Hoffenheim's resolute defending ensured they maintained a clean sheet and claimed all three points.
Man of the Match: Alexander Prass
Alexander Prass produced a performance to remember on his 50th appearance for Hoffenheim. His spectacular first-half strike not only broke the deadlock but showcased remarkable technique, with the ball travelling at over 109 km/h into the top corner. The 22-year-old Austrian didn't just contribute offensively; he was equally impressive defensively, especially after his side was reduced to 10 men. Reaching a top speed of 31.65 km/h – the third fastest player on the pitch – Prass covered significant ground both in attack and defence, helping Hoffenheim secure their first-ever win at the Weserstadion with 10 men. No surprise that he received 34% of the fan votes for Man of the Match.
Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: Bremen 1.99 - Hoffenheim 0.88
Fastest player: Justin Njinmah (Werder Bremen), 34.16 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 0-1 by Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), 3.14 percent
Most pressed player: Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), 24 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Marco Grüll (Werder Bremen), +2.63
Related news
Bundesliga transfer centre: January 2026
A handy overview of all the confirmed deals in Germany's top flight this winter...
How do semi-automated offsides work?
VAR officials in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 have additional technological help in determining offside decisions.
DFL announce record turnover
The economic figures for German professional football for the past 2024/25 season are stronger than ever before...