Overview
- Werder confirmed the defender required an operation for a knee infection and will be sidelined for several weeks, with no structural damage detected.
- The issue followed a deep cut sustained in the 1–0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen after contact with goalkeeper Mio Backhaus.
- Pieper had reestablished himself as a regular starter after a preseason hip operation, logging 11 starts alongside Marco Friedl and Karim Coulibaly.
- His absence stretches a short-handed back line that already lacks Maximilian Wöber and Niklas Stark long term, with Julian Malatini filling in.
- Sporting chief Clemens Fritz said winter additions remain possible but not guaranteed, as outside reports speculate on a center-back and Bremen’s defense has conceded 37 goals.