Crisis in Berlin. Union hasn’t won 8 games in a row

From the last few years, we are used to one of the unexpected teams in the Bundesliga making it to the European Cups every season. In the recent past it was mainly Mönchengladbach, last season Union Berlin took care of such a surprise. Matches almost 3 times a week brings more fatigue and maybe even lost points. Union Berlin now seem to be in a combination of everything.

At one point the club from Berlin was even on top of the whole competition, after that the reins were passed to Dortmund and Bayern. In the final reckoning, it was 4th place, guaranteeing the Champions League. A great position was achieved especially by the cannonballer Sheraldo Becker, who was the top scorer of the team with 11 goals.

The Champions League means at least 6 extra games per autumn, Union needed to expand and improve the squad to handle 2 competitions at once. It has happened several times that a team that won the Champions League or other European competition has rested on its laurels and in the final it was a collapse in the domestic competition and also on European soil.

The Union management did not underestimate anything and took care of the expansion of the squad. Several seasoned players came in, including Robin Gosens and Leonardo Bonucci. The squad was also completed by several guest players with Premier League experience. In addition, Czech midfielder and national team player Alex Kral arrived.

Start of the series

At the beginning of the season everything looked rosy. Wins against Mainz and Darmstadt 4:1 meant full points after 2 games. A great start to the season. In the third round, however, Union faced Leipzig, who won the duel 3: 0. With this match, the series of 8 defeats in a row began.

In the next league match, Wolfsburg, reinforced by Vaclav Cerny after a season of his life in the Netherlands, awaited Union. Already in the 30th minute the score was 2: 1 for VFL and the match ended like that. It was a dress rehearsal for the next Champions League match at the Santiago Bernabéu. Instead of a tune-up, it was the second defeat in a row.

The match against Real Madrid

The Union’s performance matched the spread the team was in. All the players were behind the ball and not a single shot came on the home team’s goal in the whole match. It was looking like they would take their point after all, but in the end, an old friend from the Bundesliga, Jude Bellingham, stepped up to give the White Ballet the opening 3 points in the millionaire competition.

Then followed a 0:2 loss to Hoffenheim, Union Berlin even lost to Bundesliga newcomer Heidenheim 0:1. In the match against Braga, it seemed that Union would take the point after all, but it didn’t work out (again) and they lost 2: 3, even though Union were leading 2: 0. Before the national break, Berlin also fell to Dortmund. After the break, nothing changed and a 0:3 defeat at home to Stuttgart followed.

The situation in the table

What does this mean for the team from the capital? After 8 matches they have 6 points and are in 14th place in the competition. Only 2 points are separating them from the barrier position. If nothing changes, this could suddenly be the worst of the dream season. Danish coach Urs Fischer could lose his job with every loss. Let’s see if Union will recover and surprise with Napoli in a week or if another defeat will come, the 9th in a row.

Source: Union Berlin, Bundesliga