Borussia Dortmund will look to return to winning ways when they hit the road to square up against Union Berlin.
Borussia Dortmund were off to a flying start, but things haven’t really gone their way after the international break, and they will be eager to get things back on track when they square up against Union Berlin, who will be looking to build on the win they secured last time out.
The home team are 16th on the table with just four points in their five outings. They started their league campaign with a draw, but went on to lose three in a row before securing all three points against SV Elversberg last time out.
While the 7-0 defeat to Bayern Munich was a massive blow, the win in their last outing will give them a lot of confidence heading into this fixture. They will have the backing of their fans against Dortmund, but it still won’t be easy to take them down.
Meanwhile, the visitors are 2nd in the league with 13 points in their five outings. After winning each of their first four league outings, Dortmund could only manage a draw against Werder Bremen (2-2). Despite taking a two-goal lead late on in the game, they failed to hold onto it.
After that disappointing result, they ended up losing 1-0 to Bodo/Glimt in the Champions League. Things certainly haven’t gone in their favour post the break, but they do have enough quality to turn things around and secure all three points here. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.
Team News & Tactics
Union Berlin
The home team will be without quite a few first-team stars as Emmanuel Latte Lath (muscle), Andrej Ilic (unspecified), Josip Juranovic (Achilles and illness), Stanley Nsoki (calf) and Andrik Markgraf (cruciate ligament) are all out injured.
Union Berlin are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Frederik Ronnow starting in goal. Janik Haberer and Tom Rothe should operate as full-backs, while Zeno Van Den Bosch is likely to partner Felix Uduokhai in the heart of the defence.
Andras Schafer and Rani Khedira are expected to form the midfield double pivot, providing defensive cover and helping the hosts compete for control of possession.
Michel Aebischer and Livan Burcu should operate on the flanks, with Jeong Woo-yeong playing in the number ten role behind Tim Skarke, who is likely to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ronnow; Haberer, Uduokhai, Van Den Bosch, Rothe; Schafer, Khedira; Aebischer, Jeong, Burcu; Skarke
Borussia Dortmund
The visitors will be without the likes of Justin Lerma (muscle), Giannis Konstantelias (cruciate ligament), and Emre Can (cruciate ligament) because of injury. Apart from the trio, everyone else should be available for selection.
Borussia Dortmund are expected to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Gregor Kobel starting in goal. Joane Gadou, Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck should form the back three, providing defensive solidity and looking to build play from the back.
Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson are likely to operate as wing-backs, offering width and supporting the attack. Felix Nmecha and Joey Veerman are expected to partner in central midfield, helping Dortmund control possession and dictate the tempo.
Ethan Nwaneri and Marcel Sabitzer should operate behind Serhou Guirassy, who is likely to lead the line.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Gadou, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Veerman, Nmecha, Svensson; Nwaneri, Sabitzer; Guirassy
Key Stats
- Dortmund have lost four out of their seven away league games against Union Berlin.
- In six out of the last ten meetings between the two teams, only one team has found the back of the net.
- Union Berlin have scored just three goals in their last five league outings.
- Dortmund have kept the most clean sheets in the Bundesliga this season (3).
- Last time Berlin took down Dortmund was back in October 2024.
Player to Watch
Marcel Sabitzer
Things might not have worked out for Sabitzer at Bayern Munich, but he has certainly revived his career since joining Dortmund back in 2023. He has established himself as one of their mainstays and continues to be among their standout performers.
So far this season, he has been involved in eight games across competitions and has also bagged two assists. While he prefers playing as a central midfielder, Niko Kovac has often used him as an attacking midfielder, and he certainly hasn’t disappointed.
Prediction
Union Berlin 1-2 Borussia Dortmund
Union Berlin will take confidence from their recent victory, but their struggles in front of goal could make life difficult against a Borussia Dortmund side that has been defensively solid in the Bundesliga this season. The hosts will look to stay compact and exploit opportunities on the counter-attack, with their home support potentially playing a key role.
However, Dortmund have greater quality in the final third and should be able to create enough chances to trouble the Union Berlin defence. The visitors will be desperate to respond after dropping points against Werder Bremen and suffering a Champions League defeat to Bodo/Glimt.
Union Berlin should put up a fight, but Dortmund’s superior quality should help them secure all three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the away team.
