Battle of the losers: Union Berlin hopes for a turnaround against Frankfurt!

Battle of the losers: Union Berlin hopes for a turnaround against Frankfurt!

On Sunday, September 21st, 1. FC Union Berlin will face Eintracht Frankfurt. Kick-off is at 3:30 p.m. After three games with just three points, the club from Berlin is in a crisis that is unique in the history of the Bundesliga. Last season, Union Berlin won 2-1 in Frankfurt, marking the start of an impressive eight-match unbeaten run for the team. Coach Steffen Baumgart has a positive record against Eintracht, as only one of eight Bundesliga games was lost.

Eintracht Frankfurt, on the other hand, has been strong this season and has achieved four wins in five competitive games with a goal difference of 18:6. Top scorer Hugo Ekitiké has left the club for a record-breaking 95 million euros, but coach Dino Toppmöller emphasizes that freshness and physicality will be crucial factors in the upcoming duel. Eintracht is currently in fifth place in the table with six points, while Union is in 14th place.

Personnel situation and forecasts

However, the squad situation before the game raises some questions. Eintracht Frankfurt will be without Jessic Ngankam and Mario Götze, who is out due to muscular problems. On the Union side, Diogo Leite could return after his suspension, a final decision will be announced on Saturday. Union's potential lineup could include Frederik Rönnow in goal as well as Chris Trimmel, Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld and Leite in defense. Rani Khedira, Janik Haberer and Ilyas Ansah could play in midfield, while Andrej Ilic and Robert Skov operate in attack.

Expert Basti Red names Can Uzun, Jean-Mattéo Bahoya and Ritsu Doan as key players for Eintracht. The predictions for the game point to a narrow victory for Frankfurt, with the experts assuming a final score of 1-0 for Eintracht, while the editorial team predicts a higher defeat for Union with 3-1.

Trainer duels and statistics

The comparison of the two coaches shows that Dino Toppmöller had to record a draw and a defeat in two matches against Steffen Baumgart. Baumgart's overall record against Eintracht, however, is positive: four wins, three draws and only one defeat. In addition, the two teams have met a total of 20 times, with Eintracht Frankfurt having ten wins and Union Berlin having four wins. It became even clearer at Deutsche Bank Park: Here Eintracht prevailed in half of the games.

The coaching statistics in the Bundesliga also show a constant change of coaches, especially in the current 2025/2026 season. The number of coaches and their tenures vary greatly, highlighting the challenges in football. This dynamic could also impact the two coaching situations in Frankfurt and Berlin.

Overall, the upcoming duel between Eintracht Frankfurt and Union Berlin on Sunday, September 21st promises to be an exciting and decisive game for both teams. While Eintracht wants to build on their successes, Union urgently needs points to get out of the crisis.

For more information on this topic, see reports from rbb24, onefootball and transfer market.