Hjulmand made five changes to the team that won at Olympiacos in Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League play-off first leg. Loïc Badé replaced Jarell Quansah in the back three, while Arthur came in for Lucas Vázquez on the right. Ezequiel Fernández swapped in for compatriot Exequiel Palacios in midfield. Malik Tillman and Christian Kofane played up front in place of Ernest Poku and Patrik Schick.
Union had the first chance of the game inside two minutes when Derrick Köhn’s cross only just evaded Andrej Ilic in the box. The Berliners also had the better of the opening stages before Leverkusen found their way into the game but without creating anything of note. The best opportunity came for Tillman, who was unable to convert Arthur’s cross following a Badé long ball up the right. Just a minute later, the Irons forged ahead when Aljosha Kemlein’s ball up the pitch found Khedira, who got the better of Robert Andrich and was able to chip the ball over Janis Blaswich into the net.
Tillman had the first action of the second period when he drove into the box and went down, but not fouled according to the referee. With an hour gone, Hjulmand introduced Schick, Poku and Vázquez to try and make things happen. The changes seemed to have an effect as Leverkusen pressed for an equaliser and Union dropped deeper and deeper. The biggest chance came in the 92nd minute when Schick’s header went over the bar as the Werkself’s seven-game unbeaten run came to an end.
Bayer 04 are next in action again on Tuesday as they host Olympiacos for the second leg of their Champions League play-off tie (21:00 CET). Mainz are then the visitors to the BayArena the following Saturday in the Bundesliga (15:30).
Match stats:
Union Berlin: Rönnow - Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki - Haberer (Trimmel 11'), Khedira, Kemlein, Köhn - Jeong (Král 70'), Schäfer (Ansah 85') - Ilic (Skarke 85')
Bayer 04: Blaswich - Badé (Hofmann 68'), Andrich, Tapsoba - Arthur (Vázquez 61'), Fernández (Poku 61'), Garcia, Grimaldo - Tillman (Terrier 81'), Maza - Kofane (Schick 61')
Goals: 1-0 Khedira (28')
Yellow cards: Nsoki, Haberer, Ilic, Querfeld, Rønnow - Vázquez, Andrich
Referee: Harm Osmers
Sandwiched between their UEFA Champions League knockout play-off tie against Olympiacos, Bayer 04 return to Bundesliga action on Saturday with a trip to Union Berlin (kick-off: 15:30 CET). It’s a fixture of contrasting styles, with Leverkusen preferring to control the play while Union look to remain compact and counter. The Berliners are therefore suited to facing top teams, but they have only ever managed to win one of 16 meetings with the Werkself, who are looking for a fifth clean sheet of 2026 but will need to beware the home side’s threat from set pieces. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the game in our matchday news.
Show more
After six wins in seven games, the Werkself will be looking to continue their winning run in the capital at FC Union Berlin. Coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke ahead of the match on Saturday, 21 February (kick-off: 15:30 CET) about defenders, the short preparation time and the condition of the pitch at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Show more
Union Berlin have performed particularly well against the top clubs in the Bundesliga this season with a draw at home to Bayern Munich and wins against VfB Stuttgart and RB Leipzig. This Saturday, 21 February (kick-off: 15:30 CET), the Irons now welcome the Werkself, currently sixth in the table, to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei. And the hosts are in desperate need of a win. The lowdown on our next opponents.
Show more
It took exactly 60 minutes for the Werkself to take the lead through a perfectly finished counter-attack by Patrik Schick in the first leg of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League play-off at Olympiacos. Referring to the meeting in the league phase and the initially squandered opportunities, coach Kasper Hjulmand said afterwards: "I thought: 'Oh no, déjà-vu.'" But after the opening goal, it took just 144 seconds for the Czech to spark more wild celebrations among those in black and red in the Greek cauldron, when Schick nodded in Alejandro Grimaldo's corner. Much to the delight of the Bayer 04 fans, his teammates and his coach, who had warm words for the striker in the aftermath. The Werkself Review.
Show more
