Borussia Dortmund – Union Berlin
Our Borussia Dortmund – Union Berlin prediction is: Dortmund win – 1.55 odds
- Dortmund has won all of its Bundesliga home duels against Union
- Union has lost six of its last seven Bundesliga away games
- Dortmund has not won in its last five Bundesliga home games
In the Signal Iduna Park, it comes on Saturday evening to a trend-setting Bundesliga duel between the crisis-ridden Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin. The BVB, after the recent 0-2 defeat against Bochum on the 11th Table place slipped, is under new coach Niko Kovac under massive pressure. Even the goalless Champions League draw against Sporting on Wednesday did little to improve the tense atmosphere. Stefan Effenberg recently criticized the lack of leadership players in the team.
The Irons, who suffered a 2-1 defeat against Gladbach last weekend, are also stuck in the lower third of the table in 13th place. Interesting: Both teams are currently separated by a small gap of five points, with BVB with Bremen and Augsburg breathing down their necks – only one point separates the teams. One can wonder whether Steffen Baumgart’s team can take advantage of Dortmund’s obvious insecurity. You can find out more about this in our Dortmund – Union Berlin tip.
Dortmund – Union Berlin Info
- Venue: SIGNAL IDUNA PARK, Dortmund
- Date and Time: 22.02.2025, 18:30
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 23
- Broadcast: SKY
Dortmund Form & Record Check
The current form of Borussia Dortmund is a cause for concern. After the recent 0-2 defeat in Bochum and the goalless draw against Sporting CP in the Champions League, the form curve is clearly pointing downwards. Particularly in the Bundesliga, things are not going well – the eleventh place in the table reflects the mixed performances.
Dortmund under Kovac historically bad
Criticism of the team is growing louder, especially the lack of real leaders is noticeable. Neither Julian Brandt nor Emre Can can currently give the team the necessary stability. Under the new coach Niko Kovač, no clear handwriting can yet be seen – the start with two Bundesliga defeats was the worst since 1984.
At least BVB is showing a different side in the Champions League. The 3-0 away win against Sporting CP was a sign of life, even if the goalless draw in the second leg once again highlighted the current problems in attack. What is interesting here is that in 80% of the last games, fewer than 1.5 goals were scored in the first half. With only one point behind Werder Bremen, the connection to the midfield is still there, but they are currently far from their own standards.
Dortmund Facts & Analysis
- Kovac with two Bundesliga defeats in the first two games
- Five Bundesliga home games without a win
- In 80% of the games, fewer than 1.5 goals in the first half
For the upcoming game, coach Kovac is likely to revert to a 4-2-3-1 system. However, after the recent performances and the clear criticism of the team, there could well be personnel changes in the starting eleven. Despite the weak performance against Bochum, Julian Brandt will probably still start in offense – however, he is under particular scrutiny after the public discussions.
In defensive midfield, Can and Sabitzer are likely to form a defensive midfield partnership, while Couto, Ryerson, Schlotterbeck and Bensebaïni are expected to start in defense in front of Kobel. It will be interesting to see whether Gittens can secure a place in the starting lineup after the latest developments. However, this lineup is only a prediction – Kovac will not make the final decision until just before kick-off.
Union Berlin Form & Record Check
Union Berlin is currently in a changeable state. After the surprisingly clear 4-0 away win at TSG Hoffenheim, last weekend was followed by a sobering 1-2 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Coach Steffen Baumgart’s team oscillates between impressive offensive performances and defensive failures – typical for a team in 13th place in the table.
Is Union getting more offensive?
The goal scoring of the Köpenickers in the last few games is interesting. In 80% of the last five games, more than 2.5 goals were scored – a clear departure from the defensive style of play they used to have. The 0-0 draw against RB Leipzig seems to be the exception rather than the rule. However, there is also a certain vulnerability in defense, which the clear defeats against St. Pauli (0:3) and most recently against Gladbach underline.
With a four-point gap to FC Augsburg and a three-point lead over St. Pauli, Union is right in the middle of the fight to avoid relegation. The offensive alignment under Baumgart provides more spectacle, but not yet the necessary consistency. One might think that the Berliners are still looking for the right balance – the next few weeks will show if they find it.
Union Berlin facts & analysis
- In 80% of the last games, over 2.5 goals were scored
- Six of the last seven league away games lost
- The last away game won 4-0
Union Berlin are likely to line up in their usual 4-2-3-1 formation again. Rønnow is expected to keep goal, while the back four could consist of Juranović, Doekhi, Leite and Querfeld. Khedira and Haberer will likely occupy the central defensive midfield positions.
In front of them, there will likely be an attacking trio of Skarke, Jeong and Hollerbach, with Ilić in the role of striker. It will be interesting to see how this formation fares against the opposition – particularly the line-up on the flanks could be crucial to the game. With Volland on the bench, there is an experienced attacking alternative ready to step in should the game require it.
Dortmund – Union Berlin head to head & statistics
The last five meetings between Borussia Dortmund and Union Berlin have all been high-scoring and goalless. In the most recent meeting in October 2024, Union came out on top 2-1 after BVB had previously won three games in a row.
It is interesting to note that at least two goals were scored in all five games – a remarkable streak. Four of the five encounters ended with fewer than four goals. The exception was the 4-2 win for BVB in October 2023.
What is striking is that both teams are extremely accurate in front of the opposing goal. In 80% of the duels, both Dortmund and Union were able to score at least one goal. The second half seems to be particularly rich in goals – BVB scored after the break in four out of five games.
BVB’s home form in the Signal Iduna Park against Union is remarkable: both home games in the last two years were won (4:2 and 2:1). Union, on the other hand, won two of their three home games.
You could say that this is a pattern: goals are practically guaranteed in this duel, but draws are not.
