There have been nine previous meetings between Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin – seven in the league and two in the cup. With the exception of BVB’s victory at the Alte Försterei at the start of 2022, the home team has always won. The facts on the match against the Köpenick club.

The scenario: The “English week” will be rounded off by two teams eliminated from the cup going head-to-head. BVB go into the match in second position, with a two-point lead over the third-placed Berlin outfit.

Home/away: The Black & Yellows have scored at least one goal in each of their past 46 Bundesliga home games – an ongoing club record – and have found the net at least twice in their last eight matches at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. With an average of 2.58 points per game, BVB are the best home team in the league. Union Berlin occupy sixth spot in the away table (six wins and two draws). All five of FCU’s defeats this season have come on their travels.

Head-to-head record: The two teams are set for their 10th meeting in a competitive match. BVB won both cup ties prior to Union’s Bundesliga promotion on home turf, after extra-time (2018/19) and penalties (2016/17) respectively; in the league, there have been three home victories for BVB (5-0, 2-0, 4-2).

Statistics: No team has claimed as many victories (17) as and fewer draws (two) than BVB this season. Union already have 15 wins to their name this season – only Bayern (one more) and Borussia (two more) have more – and with 51 points on the board, they boast 13 points more than at the same stage of last season (38). The team have the best defensive record in the league (only 28 goals conceded). Borussia’s tally of 36 goals scored at home is surpassed only by Bayern (43), who have however played one home game more.

Biggest home win: BVB’s biggest victory to date came in the first Bundesliga match-up between the two teams at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK. On 1 February 2020, BVB took an early 2-0 lead in front of 81,365 enthusiastic fans thanks to goals from Jadon Sancho (13) and Erling Haaland (18), but missed the chance to extend their lead over a well-organised and hard-running opponent before the break. Following a lull at the start of the second period, Marco Reus (68, pen.), Axel Witsel (70) and Haaland (76) all scored within eight second-half minutes to clinch a 5-0 win.
Compiled by Boris Rupert