The initial situation
Last season was an emotional roller coaster for Iron fans. The first Champions League participation in the club’s history ended after the group phase, negative experience after negative experience followed in the league in the autumn and finally the change from promotion coach Urs Fischer to Nenad Bjelica. Under the Croatian, the results of the relegation-threatened Köpenick team stabilized, but Bjelica’s involvement ended before the end of the season and the much-celebrated last-minute relegation on matchday 34 against the sports club.
Interim coach Marco Grote, who took over for Bjelica, was followed in the summer by former Mainz player Bo Svensson. Under the Dane, the Iron team quickly found their way back to their strengths. The team is compact, has the most duels in the league and is dangerous from set pieces (four goals).
This is also reflected in the league table. With 15 points, Union is just behind the sports club and has so far kept up with the international ranks. The first defeat of the season only came on the fifth matchday and with Leipzig (0:0), Dortmund (2:1) and Bayern (0:3) they have already played against three heavyweights. The positive picture is only somewhat clouded by the cup loss in Bielefeld a week ago.
The personnel situation
They don’t have to deal with any major injury concerns in Berlin. Only young goalkeeper Yannic Stein is still out. Full-back Josip Juranovic and midfielder Lucas Tousart returned to team training this week.
The voices before the game
Bo Svensson about SC: “Freiburg has been a very stable team for years, with a core of players who identify with the club and have been playing there for a long time. They are hard to crack and have a clear plan.”
Julian Schuster about Union: “They have enormous unity and defend very passionately. I haven’t had the pleasure of the Alte Försterei yet and I’m looking forward to it. They didn’t have an easy year, also due to their sporting success. Now they work again as I have come to know them in recent years. The results reflect that, they allow very little and have the quality to score goals through their transition game.”
Photo: Boris Streubel / dfl
Swiss
