Our next opponents: Staying up within reach

Position

Union Berlin took another big step forward in the battle to stay up with last Sunday's 1-0 win against VfL Wolfsburg. "The current situation is good," said Benedict Hollerbach, the scorer of the winning goal, after the game and he added looking back at the Irons’ recent games: "Everybody has definitely dreamed about it but it's even better that we finally have been able to pick up so many points." Union are unbeaten in their last four matches in the Bundesliga that have brought ten points. That includes two surprise away wins for Union Berlin at third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt (2-1) and away to seventh-placed SC Freiburg (2-1). In between those two games, they held league leaders Bayern Munich to a 1-1 draw at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. And now the 1-0 hard-earned victory at the same venue against VfL Wolfsburg. That has enabled Union to extend their lead over the relegation zone to eleven points. Coach Steffen Baumgart summed up the situation: "Staying up is within reach. It's still about picking up points but it would be a lie if we didn't say we had a good cushion with an eleven point lead."

Union got into serious problems in the winter of 2024 after a good start of the season that ended with the dismissal of coach Bo Svensson. Steffen Baumgart took over the Irons in January this year. Under the new coach, who played for Union from 2002 to 2004, winning ways did not come straightaway. Union Berlin only picked up one win in the first five games under Baumgart and they failed to score in four of the matches. After two 2-0 defeats against FC Heidenheim and FC Augsburg, the Irons finally secured the first win under Baumgart with a 2-1 victory against Mainz 05 at the start of the Rückrunde after a run of eleven games in succession without a win. There were also admittedly bitter defeats under the former coach of FC Köln and Hamburg SV. The low point was the 6-0 defeat away to Borussia Dortmund on matchday 23, the biggest defeat for the Irons in the Bundesliga. That was followed by another disappointing 1-0 loss to Holstein Kiel in the game between two teams threatened with relegation. The turnaround started four weeks ago with the 2-1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt.

PersonNEl

Baumgart will have to manage without the South Korea international Woo-yeong Jeong not just in Leverkusen but also for the rest of the season. The player on loan from VfB Stuttgart suffered a serious ligament injury in his left ankle in the 2-1 win at SC Freiburg and has since undergone an operation. Aljoscha Kemlein, another key player in the Irons midfield, has been sidelined for weeks. The 20-year-old home-grown player underwent an operation on a foot injury in February and will not be available for the remaining games. By contrast, Robert Skov is making progress in his recovery. The forward was not in the squad against Wolfsburg but has returned to full training after recovering from a calf injury. The Dane could make his comeback on Saturday.

Baumgart will be able to field his tried and tested back three against the Werkself. Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld and Diogo Leite have impressed in recent weeks. Josip Juranovic and club legend Christopher Trimmel are first choices on the flanks. The captain has played for Union Berlin for eleven years, is set to play game 353 for the club and is the oldest player in the squad at the age of 38. The central midfield has two absolute top performers in Rani Khedira and Janik Haberer. And Andras Schäfer is also a regular starter. Up front, top scorer and provider Benedict Hollerbach (eight goals, three assists) is in very good form. And winter signing Marin Ljubicic (Linzer ASK) got off to a brilliant start in his first game for Union when he came off the bench away to TSG Hoffenheim and scored his first goal with his first touch of the ball. Another established player in attack is Andrej Ilic. The Serb has made a big contribution to the turnaround for the Irons with three goals in the last seven games. The striker on loan from Lille scarcely played under Svensson. Tim Skarke and former Leverkusen player Kevin Volland are also alternatives in attack for the Irons.

Problems

Union have the second weakest attack in the league with only 26 goals scored. Only FC St. Pauli (23) have scored less often. It is no wonder that the Irons have the poorest chance conversion rate (10.3%) and shooting accuracy (39%) in the league. The team from the capital find it difficult when they have to dictate play. Possession football has never been part of the club's DNA. This term, Union have made the second lowest number of passes (368 per game) just ahead of VfL Bochum (363) and they are in last place in terms of possession (41%).

Performers

With 40 goals conceded, the Irons defence is the seventh best in the league. They have had seven clean sheets. Only three goals were conceded in the last four games. Union are impressing again with their usual virtues: energetic challenges, a great desire to run, high intensity, solidarity as a team. Union Berlin have clocked up the second most kilometres in the league behind FC St. Pauli. And they are the in the top third in terms of the number of sprints. They usually take a direct approach to the opposition goal. Baumgart demands getting the ball up front as soon as possible. "We want to enforce our game with very simple and clear football – and that has to do with a certain aggression and mentality," explained the coach whose team win a lot of second balls. For example, before Hollerbach's winner against Wolfsburg when Union won all aerial duels following a throw-in. The Berliners are particularly dangerous from set pieces with twelve goals scored from dead balls representing nearly half of their 27 goals to date this term.