An der Alten Forsterei is set to host a crucial clash in the Bundesliga‘s race for Europe when a resilient Union Berlin welcome in-form Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Die Eisernen will be looking to extend their unbeaten run to eight games, while Die Werderaner will be hoping to make it five wins from their last six.
Match preview
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Steffen Baumgart‘s Union are the form team in the bottom 10 of the league, but while they may have proven their resilience in recent weeks thanks to their lengthy undefeated streak, they are winless in their last three and have won just two of their most recent six matches.
Last time out, Die Eisernen followed up their dramatic 4-4 draw with Stuttgart – a game set a record as the first Bundesliga game to feature eight first-half goals – by drawing 1-1 with bottom-club Bochum.
That stalemate left Baumgart’s side 13th in the table with 36 points, though they had already secured safety in the top flight with their point against Die Roten, and are now 11 above Heidenheim, who occupy the division’s relegation playoff spot.
That being said, this weekend’s hosts will be keen to end 2024-25 strongly after what has been a difficult campaign, but with only one victory since January at An der Alten Forsterei, form suggests that they will be hard-pressed to take all three points against their in-form opponents.
Should Union earn what would be their first win since April 6 on Saturday, then they could go level on points with 12th-placed Wolfsburg, leaving them five away from a top-half finish with four games remaining.
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Meanwhile, Ole Werner‘s Werder are still on the hunt for a place in European competition next season, and with 13 points from their last five games, they are the joint most in-form team outside of the top two.
On Sunday, Die Werderaner broke a four-game winning run with a 0-0 draw against 14th-placed St Pauli, and the boss will be concerned by the fact that his team were only able to produce half as many shots on target as their opponents despite the disparity in league position.
On the other hand, Bremen have now kept four clean sheets on their current five-match unbeaten run, conceding just one and scoring eight in that stretch.
Regardless, dropping two points last weekend has Werner’s men eighth in the table with 46 points, two behind sixth-placed Borussia Dortmund and three behind fifth-placed RB Leipzig.
Knowing how vital victory could be this close to the end of the season, the visitors will draw confidence from the fact that they have won three away matches on the bounce coming into this clash, and will be expecting to prove that their disappointing draw against St Pauli was a one off.
Three points on Saturday would be enough to take Werder ahead of BVB and level on points with Leipzig, but they will need their rivals to slip up considerably given their inferior goal difference.
Team News
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Union will welcome versatile wing-back Josip Juranovic back into the squad after he recovered from the injury he picked up against Bayer Leverkusen last month, and he could start on the left flank this weekend.
Likewise, left-sided full-back Jerome Roussilon and wide man Robert Skov could make appearances following their injuries, but they are likely to start on the bench.
Elsewhere, centre-half Diogo Leite is expected to be out for the rest of the season with a fractured larynx, so Kevin Vogt should start alongside Leopold Querfeld and Danilho Doekhi in the backline.
As for Werder, centre-back Milos Velkjovic will be absent due to a muscle injury he picked up against Borussia Monchengladbach, so anticipate a back three of Amos Pieper, Marco Friedl and Niklas Stark in Werner’s XI.
At the other end of the pitch, striker Marvin Ducksch should be supported by Romano Schmid and Justin Njinmah, while wing-backs Felix Agu and Mitchell Weiser provide width.
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Vogt; Trimmel, Schafer, Khedira, Haberer, Juranovic; Hollerbach, Ilic
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Zetterer; Stark, Friedl, Pieper; Weiser, Stage, Lynen, Agu; Njinmah, Schmid; Ducksch
We say: Union Berlin 1-2 Werder Bremen
Union may be lacking in wins recently, but their resilience suggests that Werder may find it difficult to break them down on Saturday.
That being said, the visitors’ form both at home and on the road has been impressive during the run in, and given their ambitions of making the top six, they will be motivated to take all three points this weekend.
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