Union Berlin – Borussia Mönchengladbach
After this week’s matches, we now know the quarter-finalists in the DFB Cup. This weekend, there are nine exciting games on matchday 14 in the Bundesliga. In Köpenick on Saturday, there will be a groundbreaking duel for two teams. Find out who will pick up three extremely important points in our Union – Gladbach betting tip.
The Ironmen had an unexpected 1.5-week break after the heavy snowfall in Munich and were therefore able to prepare intensively for the clash with the team from the Lower Rhine. In this match, FCU’s aim is to leave the basement. The Köpenickers are currently bottom of the table with just seven points.
Gladbach, on the other hand, only had a four-day break, as the colts had to play in the DFB Cup on Tuesday. The clash with VfL Wolfsburg even went into extra time, at the end of which Borussia emerged victorious. Gladbach also won in the league recently and are currently in tenth place
Union – Gladbach Info:
- Date & Time: 09.12.2023, 3:30 pm
- Playing venue: Stadion An der Alten Försterei, Berlin
- Competition: Bundesliga, Matchday 14
- TV broadcast: Sky
Union Form & Balance Check
The Irons have stumbled from failure to failure so far this season. Following the departure of long-serving coach Urs Fischer, FCU have managed two draws in a row recently. However, Union slipped back to the bottom of the table in the league as a result of the dropped game at FC Bayern the previous week.
With a total of just seven points earned, FCU are already two points behind the safety margin. Their last success in the league was a 4-1 win at Darmstadt on matchday 2. In between, the Köpenickers even suffered nine consecutive defeats in the German top flight
Little goal threat
Union’s defense is nowhere near as solid this season as it was in the previous one. So far, FCU have conceded a goal in every Bundesliga match and have already conceded 27 goals in the league. In the entire previous season, the Köpenickers only conceded 38 goals. But the offense is also not getting into the right gear at all.
Union have scored just one goal in their last five league games and have only managed a cumulative xG value of 4.07 in this period. 2.15 of these expected goals came in the last game against Augsburg. There has been a particular lack of creativity from the Irons in the recent past
Union facts & analysis
- In last place in the Bundesliga table
- Last two draws in a row
- Played 1:1 against Augsburg in the league two weeks ago
Gladbach Form & Balance Check
In the summer, coach Gerardo Seoane took over as manager in the Lower Rhine region in order to lead Gladbach Borussia back up the table after a disappointing tenth place in the previous season. However, the start of the new season was anything but ideal for the foals. In the first five games, they picked up just two points due to a difficult opening program.
Since then, however, the foals have continued to climb up the table. Gladbach are currently in 10th place in the table and have only lost one of their last five games in the league. And the team from the Lower Rhine was also successful against Wolfsburg in the DFB Cup, advancing to the quarter-finals of the competition
Koné is here
In the summer, Manu Koné was considered one of the most sought-after players at Gladbach. After two strong years in Borussia kit, the 22-year-old was highly prized by many top European clubs. However, a serious injury at the U21 European Championships put paid to a potential departure. After missing the start of the season, Koné is now fit again.
The young Frenchman is increasingly being used again, although home-grown talent Rocco Reitz has seized the opportunity in his absence and played his way into the starting eleven. However, the midfield engine has always been in the starting eleven in the last three league games and also scored against Dortmund. Koné also scored the decisive winning goal in the 1:0 cup win in extra time against Wolfsburg
Gladbach facts & analysis
- In tenth place in the Bundesliga
- Won 2:1 against Hoffenheim in the previous week
- Fifth best offense in the Bundesliga
Predicted line-up – last update on December 9, 2023
Union want to alternate between a back three and back four under coach Nenad Bjelica in future. For the home game against Gladbach, we expect the Iron to play with a back four again. Sheraldo Becker will probably miss the Ironers through injury.
We expect Gladbach to go back to a 3-5-2, the same system in which the Foals won the DFB Cup against Wolfsburg during the week. Jordan, Hannes Wolf, Stefan Lainer, Lukas Ullrich, Tony Jantschke and Ko Itakura are expected to miss out in Köpenick
Union – Gladbach head-to-head & stats
There has been a clear trend in the duel between the two clubs so far. Die Eisernen have won six of the new meetings, while Gladbach have only won one match against FCU. The Köpenickers won both duels in the previous season
- Nine points separate the two teams in the league
- Gladbach’s last win against Union was on 31/05/2020
- Gladbach have never won at the Alte Försterei
