bundesliga

Xavi shines on his return as Leipzig secure thrilling victory over Bremen

12.01.2025

RB Leipzig celebrated an impressive victory over Werder Bremen in their first Bundesliga fixture of 2025 and it was Xavi who stole the headlines in his comeback following injury, the Dutch master bagging a brace on his first start since October.

Leipzig 4-2 Werder Bremen
Goals: 1-0 Xavi 24' (assist: Openda), 1-1 Weiser 26’ (assist: Grüll), 2-1 Xavi 35’ (assist: Vermeeren), 3-1 Šeško 47’, 4-1 Baumgartner 90’ (assist: Silva), 4-2 Burke 90’+3

After seeing out 2024 with a heavy loss against Bayern Munich, Leipzig were looking to rebound with a victory to reignite a title push. With the previously flying Bremen in town, however, the hosts knew they would be facing a stiff challenge.

Xavi didn't hide his emotions after scoring on his return. - Maja Hitij

Whirlwind first half

The match burst into life in the 24th minute when Xavi opened the scoring, latching onto a clever header from Loïs Openda before coolly slotting the ball past Michael Zetterer to give Leipzig the lead.

However, Bremen's resilience soon shone through just two minutes later. A brilliant piece of combination play saw Mitchell Weiser exchange passes with Marco Grüll before the former slotted home an equaliser. Parity was short-lived, as - incredibly - Xavi struck again in the 35th minute, showcasing his skill with a mazy run before finding the net with a deflected shot.

Benjamin Šeško celebrates after scoring a stunner from long range early in the second half. - IMAGO/Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi Images

Šeško's thunderbolt extends lead

The second half began with a moment of pure brilliance from Benjamin Šeško. Just two minutes after the restart, the Slovenian striker unleashed a powerful shot from 25 metres out, leaving Zetterer with no chance as the ball rocketed into the net at a blistering 126.43 km/h.

The goal, with a surprisingly low xG of 0.0469, seemed to knock the wind out of Bremen's sails, and Leipzig began to dominate proceedings. Antonio Nusa was a constant threat, skilfully evading pressure and creating chances for both himself and his teammates.

A nice gesture: Leipzig players dedicate the third goal to long-term injured teammate Benjamin Henrichs. - IMAGO/Martin Stein

Late goals to cap off enthralling fixture

As the match entered its final stages, both teams continued to push forward. Oliver Burke and Weiser both had opportunites for the visitors, but were unable to convert.

Step forward substitute Christoph Baumgartner, who curled a delightful shot into the bottom corner in the 90th minute to seemingly put the result beyond doubt.

Yet Bremen refused to go down without a fight, and Burke capitalised on a defensive error to score a consolation goal deep into stoppage time.

Xavi announced his return to the pitch with a stunning brace against Bremen. - IMAGO/Paul Fritz

Player of the Match: Xavi

Xavi's performance was nothing short of spectacular. The Dutch midfielder's brace was instrumental in securing Leipzig's victory, but his influence extended far beyond just goalscoring. The Netherlands international's vision and creativity were evident throughout the match as he consistently found pockets of space and threaded passes through Bremen's defence. His first goal demonstrated composure, while his second showcased his dribbling skills and determination. With 359 fantasy points, the highest of any player in the match, Simons proved why he's such a vital component of Leipzig's attacking arsenal.

Bundesliga Match Facts
xGoals: RB Leipzig 2.63 - 1.69 Werder Bremen
Fastest player: David Raum (RBL), 34.16 km/h
Lowest goal probability: 3-1 by Benjamin Šeško (RBL), 4.69 percent
Most pressed player: Benjamin Šeško (RBL), 28 times under pressure
Pass efficiency: Péter Gulácsi (RBL), +3.08

Fantasy Heroes: Xavi Simons (RB Leipzig, 359 Points), Benjamin Šeško (RB Leipzig, 305 Points), Willi Orbán (RB Leipzig, 272 Points)