Borussia Dortmund will hope to make it four wins in a row in the Bundesliga when they host Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday evening.
Given what transpired in the last round of last season, Dortmund were always going to have a bit of a hangover heading into the 2023/24 season.
They did stutter in the first three league games (W1 D2), while they suffered a comprehensive 2-0 defeat at perennial Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain in their UEFA Champions League opener of the so-called Group of Death.
However, Edin Terzic’s men have recovered from a lacklustre start to the season with three straight wins against SC Freiburg (4-2), Wolfsburg (1-0), and Hoffenheim (3-1), putting BVB in fourth place with four wins and two draws in six games.
Borussia Dortmund were held to a goalless draw at home to AC Milan in their most recent outing in the Champions League and will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga this Saturday against an out-of-sorts Union Berlin side that suffered a gutting 3-2 defeat at home to SC Braga in midweek after leading the game by two goals to nil.
As for the visitors, Union Berlin were fantastic last season as they clinched a famous Champions League ticket. Urs Fischer’s side have come crashing back down to earth in spectacular fashion. Riding high in the early stages, Union Berlin did win their first two matches, beating Mainz and Darmstadt, with both games finishing 4-1.
However, they have not been able to build on those two wins, with four consecutive defeats going into this weekend. The terrible run started with a defeat to RB Leipzig, with Union Berlin free-falling to lose to Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim, and newly promoted Heidenheim.
The Iron Ones have continued to show frailties, and Fischer certainly finds mounting pressure on his shoulders. Here, at The Hard Tackle, we will run the rule over the two sides ahead of their enticing match-up at Signal Iduna Park this weekend.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Dortmund
⬛️ 𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐘! 🟨 pic.twitter.com/FNm6VOLWon
— Borussia Dortmund (@BVB) October 5, 2023
Ramy Bensebaini is suspended after he was sent off in Borussia Dortmund’s 3-1 win over Hoffenheim last weekend, handing Edin Terzic a dilemma on who to pick at left-back.
Thomas Meunier is nearing a return from a muscle injury, while Mateu Morey is close to a return from a knee injury. Marcel Sabitzer has missed the last two matches for BVB due to a groin injury and will remain on the sidelines for at least another two weeks.
After the 3-5-2 and 3-4-2-1 experiments in the Bundesliga earlier in the season, head coach Eden Terzic has returned to a four-man defence.
Fresh from penning a contract extension with Borussia Dortmund until the end of the 2027/28 season, Gregor Kobel should be in goal, with captain Mats Hummels and Nico Schlotterbeck at the heart of the defence, flanked by full-backs Julian Ryerson and Marius Wolf. Salih Ozcan and Emre Can are tipped to start in the starting double pivot.
As for the attacking department, Marco Reus will hope to continue his fine run of form, having scored in each of his side’s last three Bundesliga matches. Julian Brandt is also having a solid season so far and has been the creator-in-chief for Dortmund, boasting six goal contributions in all competitions this campaign.
Niclas Fullkrug perhaps has a slight edge over Sebastien Haller to start up front. The German is likely to be partnered by the in-demand Donyell Malen, although Youssoufa Moukoko is another option to make a late appearance from the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Wolf, Sule, Schlotterbeck, Ryerson; Can, Ozcan; Brandt, Reus, Malen; Fullkrug
Union Berlin
Union Berlin will be without the services of four first-team players for this match, with Robin Knoche (leg), Laurenz Dehl (Achilles tendon), Andras Schafer (foot), and Rani Khedira (calf) currently on the sidelines.
Bagging a first-half brace in that Champions League collapse against Braga in midweek, Sheraldo Becker will spearhead Union Berlin’s attack on Saturday afternoon alongside Kevin Behrens, who has been the team’s main source of goals this season, netting four times in six Bundesliga games. David Datro Fofana is potentially set to be used from the bench in order to maximise his dynamism on the weekend.
At the other end of the pitch, Frederik Ronnow will continue to start in between the sticks, with the visitors set to line up in a 3-5-2 formation. Former Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci will start at the heart of the Union’s three-man backline, comprising Diogo Leite and Danilho Doekhi.
Attack-minded Robin Gosens and Josip Juranovic could continue in the wing-back areas and are expected to serve as the team’s biggest source of creativity. Elsewhere, Aissa Laidouni is expected to operate in the number six position, supported by Alex Kral and Janik Haberer.
Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Ronnow; Leite, Bonucci, Doekhi; Juranovic, Kral, Laidouni, Haberer, Gosens; Becker, Behrens
Key Stats
- Borussia Dortmund are undefeated in their last 14 Bundesliga matches.
- Union Berlin have lost on all four trips to Borussia Dortmund.
- The visitors have failed to keep a clean sheet this season, losing six games in a row in all competitions.
- Borussia Dortmund have scored in seven of nine matches this season, with four of those fixtures seeing over 2.5 goals.
- Union Berlin have lost each of their last six appearances across all competitions.
Player to Watch
Marco Reus
Since being re-introduced into the team by Edin Terzic, Marco Reus has proven once again that he can be one of Borussia Dortmund’s most clinical players when in form. His goals have been pivotal for the club, with the veteran attacker scoring in the last three Bundesliga games to make sure they registered important wins.
Reus’s current form has been essential for Borussia Dortmund’s bounce-back in terms of results. Despite having a very injury-plagued career in his prime, he seems to be ageing like a fine wine and comes into this game in a bit of goal-scoring form.
Prediction
Borussia Dortmund 1-1 Union Berlin
Borussia Dortmund have not had the most solid of defences in the Bundesliga this term. But they face a Union Berlin side that has seriously struggled in front of goal.
Although the Black and Yellow are heavy favourites to comfortably win here, especially at home, and given their past success against the capital club, the hosts always have the capacity to surprise everyone and underdeliver. Both teams can inflict damage in the final third, and we can envisage an evenly-contested draw.
