Eintracht Frankfurt – Union Berlin
After their spectacular 5-1 win over Galatasaray in the Champions League, Eintracht Frankfurt return to everyday Bundesliga business, and the omens could hardly be more different. While the Hessians are brimming with confidence after their gala performance in Europe’s premier competition, on Sunday they welcome a struggling 1. FC Union Berlin, against whom they still have a score to settle: in March, the Köpenickers surprisingly won 2-1 in Frankfurt. The Berliners remain in crisis after their 4-2 home defeat to Hoffenheim, and coach Steffen Baumgart will also have to do without Tom Rothe, who is suspended due to his red card. The goalkeeper question will be particularly interesting for the hosts, as Kauã Santos could make his comeback after a long injury break following three Bundesliga games with Michael Zetterer. The young Brazilian tore his cruciate ligament in April and is now fighting to regain his place in the starting line-up. The table clearly favors Frankfurt: with six points in fifth place, the Hessians are in a much better position than Union in 14th place with only three points, although Berlin are already two points behind the relegation places.
- Venue: Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt am Main
- Date and time: September 21, 2025, 3:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 4)
Frankfurt Form & Record Check
Eintracht Frankfurt is currently going through an extremely turbulent phase. After a solid start to the season with six points from three Bundesliga games, they suffered a bitter setback in Leverkusen with a 3-1 defeat, before celebrating an impressive 5-1 victory in their Champions League debut against Galatasaray just one day before the Union game. The performance at Bayer revealed structural problems that were thought to have been overcome: Arthur Theate seemed unusually prone to mistakes and was involved in all three goals conceded, while the offense around new signing Jonathan Burkardt was virtually non-existent. For long stretches, Toppmöller’s team lacked precision in their build-up play and solutions against deep-lying opponents. The Champions League game against Galatasaray, on the other hand, showed the other side of Frankfurt. After falling behind early, Eintracht turned the game around with two own goals from the Turks and shone with Can Uzun and Jonathan Burkardt as goalscorers, interestingly the same players who had disappointed in Leverkusen. In fifth place in the table and only one point behind Hoffenheim, Frankfurt are in a solid position despite the defeat in Leverkusen. The last five games show a team with enormous potential, but one that is still searching for consistency.
Eintracht Frankfurt are likely to line up in the tried-and-tested 4-2-3-1 formation that coach Dino Toppmöller has favored this season. Michael Zetterer, who is the new number one after his move from Bremen, will probably be in goal. The personnel situation is problematic: Rasmus Kristensen is still out with a muscle injury, and Mario Götze is also struggling with muscular problems. That could mean Nathaniel Brown starts on the left wing, while Can Uzun is likely to remain in the center despite recent internal irritations. The 19-year-old is Frankfurt’s best offensive player so far with three goals and two assists. In defense, Arthur Theate’s recent shaky form could be an issue, as the Belgian was involved in all three goals in the 3-1 defeat in Leverkusen and looked uncertain. Robin Koch and Nnamdi Collins are expected to complete the back line alongside him. Jonathan Burkardt will likely get another chance up front after failing to make an impact so far.
1. FC Union Berlin Form & Record Check
Union Berlin are in a rather shaky position after three Bundesliga matchdays. With only three points and 14th place in the table, they are level with Freiburg, while the relegation zone is only two points away. Their record of one win and two defeats reflects the problem that has been plaguing them in recent times. Last Friday’s 2-4 defeat to Hoffenheim was symptomatic of Union’s current weaknesses: Steffen Baumgart fielded an attacking trio of Ansah, Ilic and Burke, but the defensive work left a lot to be desired. Two fatal lapses in concentration shortly before half-time put the Iron Men behind, even though Burke had missed good chances. Interestingly, Union has shown remarkable scoring prowess in recent games. Ansah scored against Hoffenheim, confirming his current strong form in front of goal. The striker is characterized by his high accuracy and could become an important building block for the future. Tom Rothe scored the temporary equalizer, but later received a red card after a professional foul. The statistics from recent games reveal both positive and worrying trends: Union has seen at least three goals in all four of its most recent encounters, which suggests spectacular games but also defensive uncertainties. One might think that Baumgart still needs time to impose his style on the team and find the balance between offense and defense.
At Union Berlin, coach Steffen Baumgart is likely to stick with his tried-and-tested 3-4-2-1 system. After the 2-4 defeat against Hoffenheim, some adjustments may be in order, although the basic formation is likely to remain the same. In terms of personnel, Baumgart will continue to be without several key players. The absence of Diogo Leite in central defense is particularly significant, which is why Querfeld is likely to play a central role alongside Doekhi. Juranovic and Nsoki are also out with injuries, which limits the options in defense. There could well be changes in attack. Ansah, who scored against Hoffenheim, is likely to start, as is Burke, who should get his chance despite missing opportunities in the last game. The midfield will be interesting, with Khedira and Haberer likely to play an important role as experienced players.
H2H Frankfurt – 1. FC Union Berlin Head-to-head comparison & statistics
The most recent encounter in March 2025 ended with a surprise 1-2 win for Union Berlin in Frankfurt. Interestingly, this was only Berlin’s first win in the last five meetings. Frankfurt had previously dominated the duel with a 3-0 away win in Berlin in 2023. What is striking is the lack of goals in the second half between the two teams: in four of the last five encounters, there were no goals after the break. This series runs through all of the recent matches and could be an indication of tactical caution after the break. Frankfurt has shown a strong first half at home against Union, as the Hessians led at the break in four of five games and never conceded a goal before the break. Union, on the other hand, are still waiting for their first first-half goal in this fixture. With only one game featuring more than three goals in the last five encounters, the matches have mostly been tactical affairs. The 2023 DFB Cup quarter-final remains the last clear-cut result between the two teams, with Frankfurt winning 2-0.
The clear favorite tip for an Eintracht victory seems almost too obvious at odds of 1.6, but the data speaks for itself: Can Uzun and Jonathan Burkardt have developed an impressive attacking game in recent weeks, with Frankfurt scoring at least three goals in four of their last five games. At the same time, Union are traveling with a severely depleted defense, as Diogo Leite, Josip Juranović, and Stanley Nsoki are all missing, which weakens the Berliners in an already shaky area. The tip for over 1.5 goals in the first half seems quite attractive at odds of 2.3, especially since both teams have provided early spectacle so far and all five Eintracht games this season have already exceeded this mark at half-time. The underdog tip for a draw at 4.3 is also interesting: here, the speculation is that the strain of the Galatasaray game and the upcoming trip to Atlético Madrid could take its toll. Union has also proven that they are always good for surprises in this duel, as the Berliners have remained unbeaten in two of their last three Bundesliga encounters. The betting markets see Frankfurt as the clear favorites, but the high odds on a Union win or draw could be interesting for brave bettors.
