Union Berlin will host second-placed side Borussia Dortmund, with a win key for the latter to consolidate their place in the Bundesliga top-four race.

Union Berlin managed a draw against VfB Stuttgart in their most recent game, which extended their unbeaten run to five matches ahead of the visit of Borussia Dortmund this weekend. However, that run consists of three consecutive draws, and those dropped points are causing a problem in the club’s efforts to secure the final European spot, which will enable them to play in the UEFA Europa Conference League next season.

Steffen Baumgart will have a lot to work on ahead of this big clash with Dortmund at the weekend, as the hosts have only managed to win just one of their last six clashes at the venue. Hence, for their own hopes of European football next season, Union Berlin need a vitalising win, starting this weekend.

Meanwhile, Borussia Dortmund sit comfortably in second spot, with the hope of challenging Bayern Munich fading away with each passing week. Niko Kovac’s men needed a late penalty against St. Pauli to secure three points last time out, and the manager will want better performances than then given his side squandered a two-goal advantage in that game.

The Black and Yellows have made it a habit to open the scoring in games, which does allow them plenty of room to dominate proceedings and get the desired results. They have done that in 16 of their last 18 league games, including in the 3-0 reverse win over Union Berlin back in August. That win was also their fifth success against the hosts in their last six meetings.

There is a suggestion that BVB are the second most in-form side in the division, having gone unbeaten in their last 11 outings. However, they did lose their UEFA Champions League clash with Tottenham earlier this week owing to being a man down, and Kovac will have one eye on next week’s final group phase game when it comes to selecting the right team for the weekend.

Team News & Tactics

Union Berlin

Union Berlin are missing their wing-backs, Derrick Kohn, who was sent off against Augsburg in the middle of the month and remains suspended, while Tom Rothe continues to remain on the treatment table.

Steffen Baumgart is poised to pick Christopher Trimmel and Josip Juranovic in those wide positions ahead of the weekend. The Union Berlin boss will also use Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld, and Diogo Leite in the back three against Borussia Dortmund.

Baumgart will also prefer a 4-5-2 shape for his team, which could see the likes of Aljoscha Kemlein, Jeong Woo-yeong and Rani Khedira in his midfield setup. Up front, he will prefer Livan Burcu and Andrej Ilic to lead the line in a two-pronged front two.

Probable Lineup (3-5-2): Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel, Kemlein, Jeong, Khedira, Juranovic; Burcu, Ilic

Borussia Dortmund

As for the away side, they will miss Marcel Sabitzer, with the Austrian midfielder ruled out with an injury. Beyond him, only Mussa Kaba will miss out with a fitness issue, as Niko Kovac could have a full squad otherwise at his disposal.

With Sabitzer missing, Jobe Bellingham and Felix Nmecha are expected to star in the double pivot for Borussia Dortmund in the midfield, with Yan Couto and Daniel Svensson in the wing-back roles on either flank. Emre Can will once again be a part of the back three alongside Waldemar Anton and Nico Schlotterbeck.

In the attacking third, Carney Chukwuemeka will play in the attacking midfield role, connecting the central and the final third of the midfield. Serhou Guirassy is a certain starter in the team, while Kovac might prefer Maximilian Beier alongside the top scorer.

Probable Lineup (3-4-1-2): Kobel; Can, Anton, Schlotterbeck; Couto, Nmecha, Bellingham, Svensson; Chukwuemeka; Beier, Guirassy

Key Stats

• Union Berlin have drawn their last three matches in the Bundesliga.
• Union Berlin are unbeaten in their last five games in the Bundesliga.
• Borussia Dortmund have scored at least three goals in their last three matches in the Bundesliga.
• Borussia Dortmund have scored first in 16 of their last 18 games in the Bundesliga.
• Borussia Dortmund are unbeaten in 11 Bundesliga games, while their loss to Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker remains their only league defeat of the campaign.

Player to Watch

Jobe Bellingham

Embed from Getty Images

Bellingham is starting to show his qualities and why he was seen as a big investment by Dortmund during the summer. After the early-season turbulence in the media regarding his immediate future, there is a chance for the English midfielder to settle down and showcase his talents steadily.

The Englishman is expected to start in the midfield alongside Felix Nmecha, and it could be a good run for him to cement a place in Niko Kovac’s plans. The Union Berlin game is a key one for the midfielder, as a top-notch performance will go a long way to restore his confidence and allow a pathway to keep growing.

Prediction

Union Berlin 1-2 Borussia Dortmund

There is the element of two teams in a decent vein of form, but ultimately, it is the quality on the pitch that might determine the final result. While Union Berlin are playing on home soil, there are significant doubts whether they can topple the visitors, given the form they are in.

Niko Kovac will not want to see his team dragged into a top-four battle, and would prefer to sit comfortably in the second spot they currently occupy. Hence, he would want his Borussia Dortmund side to forget the defeat in midweek against Tottenham and regain domestic momentum with a stellar win over Union Berlin, which might be the final result on Saturday.