1. FC Union Berlin – Stuttgart
Union Berlin ended their goal drought with a spectacular 5-0 win over Gütersloh in the DFB Cup, with all five goals coming from set pieces. The Köpenickers now welcome VfB Stuttgart to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei for their Bundesliga opener, with both teams starting the new season under their respective coaches Steffen Baumgart and Sebastian Hoeneß with different omens. Stuttgart comes to Berlin after a bitter 1-2 defeat against Bayern Munich in the Super Cup, while the transfer drama surrounding Nick Woltemade has now come to an end. The recent record clearly favors the Swabians: Union has not won any of the five direct duels, with Stuttgart winning four times.
1. FC Union Berlin – Stuttgart Info
- Venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
- Date and time: 23.08.2025, 15:30
- Competition: Bundesliga (Matchday 1)
1. FC Union Berlin Form & Record Check
Union Berlin is facing the start of the Bundesliga season in a mixed position. The 5-0 win against regional league side Gütersloh was expected, but the 0-3 home defeat against Heidenheim at the end of last season revealed defensive weaknesses. The Köpenickers have gone without a single draw in their last five games, which points to a certain inconsistency. Steffen Baumgart has to improvise in terms of personnel: Frederik Rönnow, Lucas Tousart, and Josip Juranovic are all key players who are unavailable. The absence of goalkeeper Rönnow is particularly significant, as he had to be substituted at half-time in the cup game. New signing Derrick Köhn is expected to fill the gap on the left side of defense after Union invested around €4.5 million in the former Bremen player. The current run of two games without conceding a goal in the first half could prove problematic, especially as the team has come under pressure more often in the second half recently.
Coach Steffen Baumgart will probably field Union in their usual 3-4-2-1 formation. With Raab between the posts, a back three of Doekhi, Querfeld and Rothe should form the defense, while Trimmel and Skov will work the wings. With Rönnow, Juranovic, and Tousart all out, Raab will start in goal, while Khedira and Schäfer are expected to form the central midfield. Burke and Ansah could play behind striker Ilic in the attacking zone.
Stuttgart form & record check
VfB Stuttgart travels to Berlin in impressive form, having won four of its last five competitive games with only one defeat and scoring in each of those games. The recent defeat in the Super Cup against Bayern Munich can be viewed in a different light: despite losing the title, VfB put in a combative performance, with Jamie Leweling scoring a late consolation goal. Four of the five second-half matches have seen more than 2.5 goals, which speaks for the Swabians’ attacking quality. Hoeneß will have to do without Dan-Axel Zagadou, Leonidas Stergiou, and Silas. Josha Vagnoman is currently enjoying a renaissance and has surprisingly played his way back into the spotlight, while Stergiou is fighting for his place in the starting line-up anyway. Tiago Tomás, an old acquaintance, has returned to revitalize the offense. The Portuguese brings pace and versatility to the team, even if he is a different type of player than Nick Woltemade, who will definitely remain with VfB after months of discussion.
VfB Stuttgart are likely to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß will probably be able to call on his established starting eleven, even though Zagadou, Stergiou, and Silas are out with injuries. Vagnoman has been in impressive form recently on the right side of defense. The 24-year-old has fought his way back into the starting lineup after his originally planned departure and could be preferred to new signing Assignon against Union. In attack, all key players are available, including Woltemade, Undav, Leweling, and Führich.
H2H 1. FC Union Berlin – Stuttgart Head-to-head & statistics
In the head-to-head record of the last five meetings, Stuttgart clearly dominates with four wins and one draw. Union is still waiting for its first win against the Swabians during this period. Particularly noteworthy is the consistency with which Stuttgart has taken the lead at halftime in these duels: In three of the last five games, the visitors were already ahead after 45 minutes, while Union never led at the break. The highest-scoring encounter took place in April 2024, when the two teams drew 4-4. This spectacular draw broke a run of four consecutive Stuttgart wins. Union conceded goals in all five games, while Stuttgart scored in every game. The Ironers have clearly not yet found the right formula to counter Hoeneß’s style of play.
The betting recommendations for this season opener are based on clear statistical patterns and personnel circumstances. While the bookmakers see Stuttgart as slight favorites with odds of 2.2 for an away win, betting on over 2.5 goals offers interesting value: Union’s last three games have all gone over this mark, while Stuttgart has done so in four of their last five games. The absences in both defensive centers further reinforce this trend, as Union will be without Nsoki and Stuttgart will have to do without Zagadou and Stergiou. The double chance 1X for Union also looks attractive, especially since the Ironers have not drawn at home recently and have regained Robert Skov, a real free kick specialist. The tip for over 1.5 goals in the second half reflects a clear trend for both teams: Union reached this mark in all three of their most recent games after the break, while Stuttgart did so in four out of five.
