RB Leipzig – Union Berlin
The 20th matchday in the Bundesliga is drawing to a close. However, an exciting clash awaits us in Saxony’s largest city. At 5:30 p.m., RasenBallsport will host the Eisern from the east of the capital. Both teams will be looking for an extremely important three points, although the remaining goals this season could hardly be more different.
On the one hand, RB are still fighting for a place in the Champions League. However, after three defeats to start the year, the starting position of coach Marco Rose’s team has deteriorated significantly. The Saxons are currently in 5th place in the table.
Union, on the other hand, are fighting to stay in the German top flight. The Ironmen are currently 15th in the table, but already have a five-point lead over the team below them. In the previous week, FCU secured an extremely important 1:0 win against SV Darmstadt. You can find out whether RB will add more points in our Leipzig – Union betting tip
Leipzig – Union info
- Date & Time: 04.02.2024, 17:30 hrs.
- Playing venue: Red Bull Arena, Leipzig
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 20
- TV broadcast: Sky
Leipzig Form & Balance Check
RasenBallsport Leipzig have been part of the Bundesliga for several years now, even if many fans don’t like to see it. And so far, the Saxons have only failed to qualify for the Champions League in one of their seven seasons in the German top flight. This year, too, this was the objective for the season, even if some managers were perhaps even secretly hoping for the championship.
However, the championship is already out of reach, as the Werkself are already 15 points in front. Coach Marco Rose’s team are currently only in 5th place in the table, which may not be enough to qualify for the Champions League. One of the reasons for this position is the three defeats at the start of the 2024 soccer year
Openda scores
Loïs Openda is a real marksman with 13 goals after 19 match days. He also scored in the 5:2 defeat in Stuttgart. Compared to the previous season, in which Christopher Nkunku had only scored twelve goals for the Saxons at that point and still ended up as top scorer, the Belgian has now done even better.
The number of goals that Openda has scored at this point in time has only been achieved by a certain Timo Werner in the RB jersey. The German international scored a total of 20 times in the 2019/20 season. Interestingly, Openda relegated Werner to the substitutes’ bench in the first half of the season, which ultimately led to the 27-year-old moving to Tottenham in the Premier League
Leipzig facts & analysis
- RB Leipzig’s run of failures in the Bundesliga has now lasted 3 games.
- When RB Leipzig lead 1-0 at home, they win 83% of their matches.
- When RB Leipzig is 0-1 down in home matches they win 37% of them.
Union Form & Balance Check
This season, it occasionally seems as if the soccer gods have conspired against the Irons. FCU fell into a downward spiral in the first half of the season and found themselves in the basement of the table. However, thanks to a small upturn in form before the turn of the year, Union spent the winter above the coveted table.
They also started the new year with a solid 0-0 draw in Freiburg. After a defeat in the catch-up match against Bayern, the team recorded an important 1-0 win in the basement duel with Darmstadt 98 the previous week. This three-pointer increased the gap to 1. FC Köln and thus the relegation place to five points
Historic crash
The first leg against RB Leipzig was the start of an unbelievably negative series for Union. Before the clash between the two clubs on matchday 3, FCU led the league with six points and a goal difference of 8:2. At the same time, the Köpenickers had gone 24 Bundesliga games in a row without defeat at the Alte Försterei.
However, FCU had no chance in the match against the Saxons and deservedly lost 3-0. This was followed by a collapse that has rarely been seen in German soccer history. The Iron Ferns lost an incredible nine league games and even twelve competitive games in a row. Union will certainly do everything in their power to ensure that this streak is not repeated after Sunday’s clash
Union facts & analysis
- Union Berlin have not won any of their last 12 away games.
- Union Berlin have failed to score in 6 of their 9 away games in the Bundesliga this season.
- When Union Berlin leads 0-1 in away matches, they win 71% of those matches.
Predicted lineup – last update on February 3, 2024
We’re again expecting a 4-2-2-2 for the hosts from Leipzig, with Openda and Sesko again forming the front two on Sunday. However, Amadou Haidara is still at the Africa Cup and Mohamed Simakan is serving a yellow card suspension. Coach Rose will once again rely on veteran Péter Gulácsi in goal.
We expect Union to return to a 3-5-2 formation and coach Nenad Bjelica will not be back on the sidelines this week. New signings Chris Bedia and Yorbe Vertessen will probably sit on the bench for the time being
Leipzig – Union head-to-head & stats
When we look at the direct confrontation between these two teams, no clear tendency becomes visible. Leipzig have seven wins to their name, while Union have six. Before the first leg, FCU had won each of their previous five league games by an impressive 2-1 scoreline. On matchday 3, however, Leipzig triumphed with a clear 3-0 victory
- In the last 14 duels, RB Leipzig have left the pitch as winners 7 times. 1 match ended in a draw, Union Berlin won 6 times. RB Leipzig have a goal difference of 26-17.
- RB Leipzig win 42% of halves, Union Berlin win 24%.
- On average RB Leipzig scores 1.6 goals against Union Berlin and Union Berlin scores 1.4 goals against RB Leipzig.
- The average number of goals in the first half in meetings between RB Leipzig and Union Berlin is 0.8.
- RB Leipzig scores 2.14 goals on average in home matches and Union Berlin scores 0.93 goals on average in away matches (on average).
