Key Facts
- Union is ninth (24 points) and only one point ahead of Cologne, while Frankfurt is just ahead in eighth (27) – three points could mean stagnation or distance in the midfield.
- Union has not won in five Bundesliga games; three draws were followed by a 1-3 defeat in Hoffenheim, and in these five games, they failed to score before the break.
- Frankfurt is in a deeper hole: eight league games without a win, four defeats and one draw in the last five, and Riera has to reshuffle immediately after Skhiri’s red card in the first league game.
- Union is missing Rothe, Juranovic, and Skov with injuries, which thins out the wingbacks; Frankfurt are traveling without Uzun, Burkardt, and Batshuayi, as well as defenders Collins and Baum, which means a lot will depend on Götze and Doan.
- In a direct comparison, Union are unbeaten in four games against Frankfurt and have won twice away from home recently; four of the five games have seen over 1.5 goals, mostly in close results.
- The market makes Union the favorite with odds of 2.1 (Frankfurt 3.5); due to Frankfurt’s 45 goals conceded, “Both teams to score: Yes” seems obvious, and over 1.5 goals in the second half is supported by Union’s 80% final phase rate.
Three points separate eighth and ninth place here, and at the Alte Försterei, this duel still feels like a small fork in the road. Matchday 21 of the Bundesliga kicks off on Friday when Steffen Baumgart’s 1. FC Union Berlin hosts Albert Riera’s Eintracht Frankfurt. Union is directly behind Frankfurt, while at the same time only one point ahead of Cologne – yet the betting market still rates the Berliners as clear home favorites. In sporting terms, Union’s league form seems more sluggish than really sharp: after three consecutive draws, they recently suffered a 1-3 defeat in Hoffenheim, which doesn’t quite fit with their mid-table ambitions. Frankfurt is coming out of a deeper slump, without a win in eight league games and fresh from a 1-3 defeat against Leverkusen, in which Skhiri received a red card. The last meeting ended 4-3 for Union in Frankfurt, so Riera’s debut brings with it a certain advantage. There are also some personnel changes. Union has injuries to Rothe, Juranovic, and Skov to manage, Král remains after his planned transfer fell through, and Leite is being linked with Lazio after his own goal in Hoffenheim. Frankfurt travels without Uzun, Burkardt, Batshuayi, and several defenders, and Skhiri is suspended.
- Venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
- Date and time: February 6, 2026, 8:30 p.m.
- Competition: Bundesliga (matchday 21)
Union’s 1-3 defeat in Hoffenheim and the Sterling saga mark a turbulent week, but Frankfurt’s 45 goals conceded make “Both teams to score: Yes” seem like an obvious choice. This is supported by Over 1.5 goals – 2nd half due to Union’s 80% scoring rate in the final phase.
Union Berlin form & record check
Union Berlin enters matchday 21 in a league slump, sitting in 9th place with 24 points and without a win in five Bundesliga games. On the positive side, they haven’t collapsed, with three draws keeping them within three points of Frankfurt in 8th place, but Cologne is only one point behind. Baumgart’s team looks competitive, but the table says they are treading water. Their last two performances exposed the gap between intention and execution. They lost 3-1 at Hoffenheim after a promising start, then a penalty and an early own goal by Leite at the start of the second half decided the game. Khedira’s finish gave them new life, Schäfer missed a big chance, and they were punished again. Before that, Dortmund won 3-0 in Berlin, a sobering wake-up call. One pattern is hard to miss: in their last five Bundesliga games, Union have not scored before halftime, and they have conceded in all five. Four first halves stayed under 1.5 goals, but every game exceeded 1.5 by the final whistle, mostly after a more active second half. Rothe, Juranovic, and Skov remain sidelined with injuries, thinning out the flanks. Sterling was offered and declined, while Leite continues to attract interest from Lazio.
Baumgart is expected to stick with Union’s familiar 3-4-2-1 formation. The forecast sees Rönnow in goal, with a back three of Doekhi, Querfeld, and Leite in front of him, while Trimmel and Köhn are expected to provide width as wingbacks. In midfield, Khedira and Kemlein are likely to anchor the defensive center, with Burke and Jeong acting as narrow playmakers and pressing players behind Ilic. There are a few question marks over fitness: Rothe, Juranovic, and Skov are all unavailable due to injury, so the wingback positions are the most likely area for changes. If Juranovic is unable to play, Trimmel looks most likely to start, with Nsoki or Markgraf as possible cover. Schäfer, Král, or Haberer could come off the bench to bring more control if the game gets rough.
Frankfurt Form & Record Check
Frankfurt travels to Berlin in 8th place with 27 points, level on points with Freiburg and only three points ahead of Union, so there is little room for error. Their form in the league has slumped badly, with four defeats and a draw in their last five games, and they have conceded goals in all of those matches. Interestingly, the team currently seems to be playing with great urgency but without much control. The 1-3 home defeat to Leverkusen summed it up: a period of momentum after Koch’s goal was squandered through poor management, then Skhiri’s sending off put them on the back foot. Before that, there was a 1-3 home defeat to Hoffenheim and a 3-3 draw in Bremen, which showed determination but no finish. All five of their most recent games have had more than 1.5 goals, and they keep losing control in the second halves. They also stumbled in Europe, losing 2-3 to Qarabag and 2-0 to Tottenham in the Champions League, so they are not building confidence there either. Riera is now on the sidelines for his first league game, and corrections are needed, especially in the defensive transitions, which repeatedly break down after the break. Skhiri is suspended after his red card, and with Burkardt, Uzun, and Batshuayi out injured, the creativity rests on Götze and Doan, who are supposed to supply Kalimuendo with the ball.
This is just a prediction, but under Riera, Frankfurt seems to want to line up in a 3-4-2-1. Santos is expected to start in goal, with Amenda, Koch, and Theate forming the back three. Kristensen and Brown should provide width as wingbacks, while Skhiri and Larsson secure the midfield base, forming the foundation for a front trio led by Kalimuendo. Selection issues are determined by absences: Collins and Baum are still missing in defense, along with Uzun and Burkardt, as well as Ebnoutalib and Batshuayi. This means that Frankfurt’s structure appears more stable than their personnel depth, with Götze and Doan expected to operate between the lines. If changes are necessary, Chandler or Kosugi could take over the wide positions, while Dahoud or Chaïbi would give the midfield a different look.
Union Berlin – Frankfurt Head-to-head comparison & statistics
Union Berlin has the slight edge in the last five meetings, with two wins, two draws, and one loss. They are unbeaten in four games against Frankfurt, a streak that began after a 3-0 defeat in 2023. It is noteworthy that Union has won the last two away games, 2-1 in March 2025 and 4-3 in September 2025. The scoring threat has mostly remained within familiar bounds. Four of the five duels exceeded 1.5 total goals, the only exception being the 0-0 draw in 2024. Interestingly, four consecutive encounters from 2023 to March 2025 remained below 3.5 goals before September 2025 broke that trend. Both teams scored in three of the five games, and each side found the net in a total of four of the five matches. The winning margins were often narrow. Four of the five games ended in a draw or were decided by a one-goal margin, with the 3-0 in 2023 being the only outlier. There was also a series of three games in which the second halves remained under 1.5 goals, suggesting more control after the break. Nevertheless, Union conceded goals in four of the five games, meaning clean sheets were rare.
