1. FC Union Berlin return to Bundesliga mode on Sunday at 15:30 when Borussia Mönchengladbach make the trip to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Review: The previous games
1. FC Union Berlin booked their place in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stages with a 0-0 draw and 4-0 aggregate victory over Finnish Cup winners KuPS. With the match held at the Olympic Stadium, the Köpenick club welcomed 22,159 spectators on Thursday night to watch Union’s first European match since 2001.
A week ago, Union fought from behind to pick up a point at Hoffenheim in a 2-2 draw. Despite Niko Gießelmann scoring his first goal for the club, Hoffenheim found a route back into the game and eventually led 2-1 through Jacob Bruun Larsen who continued his fine form from the first week of the campaign into Sunday. After the restart, Union regained a grip of the game and went on to score through Taiwo Awoniyi. The Nigerian celebrated his fourth goal in three games across the previous week following his full transfer from Liverpool. Awoniyi turned creator and Max Kruse was denied by Oliver Baumann to make sure both teams left with a share of the spoils. In stoppage time, Marvin Friedrich picked up a second yellow card, meaning he will sit out of Sunday’s game against Mönchengladbach.
Gladbach: Opposition Report
Borussia Mönchengladbach are under new management ahead of the trip to Berlin. With Marco Rose signing as head coach of Borussia Dortmund, the Foals stuck to their strategy of attacking football with the appointment of Adi Hütter from Eintracht Frankfurt. Despite missing out on European football, Hütter and sporting director Max Eberl kept the basis of the squad together. Incoming transfers were kept to a minimum with Luca Netz joining from Hertha and Hannes Wolf from Leipzig. The Foals went through in the first round of the DFB Pokal, beating 1. FC Kaiserslautern before the start of the league campaign. On the opening night at Borussia-Park, Alassane Plea picked up where he left off from last year to score the first goal of the 2021/22 Bundesliga season. Borussia were on the front-foot against German champions Bayern Munich but eventually succumbed to Robert Lewandowski’s equaliser on half time. A week later, however, Gladbach were comfortably beaten at Bayer Leverkusen, losing by four goals.
Personnel:
Marvin Friedrich is suspended. Fabio Schneider and Grischa Prömel are not available for selection.
Service:
Sunday’s game has sold out with a 50% capacity at the Alte Försterei permitted.
Information for supporters attending the game can be found here.