Professionals, 5. December 2024
Record against Union
Overall: 13 games. 4 wins, 6 draws, 3 defeats. 17:14 goal difference.
In the Bundesliga: 8 games. 2 wins, 3 draws, 3 defeats. 10:10 goal difference.
What the coaches say
Sebastian Hoeneß: “I see Union Berlin as a very solid team this season – especially in defence. They've conceded the second fewest goals after Bayern. They don't score too many either – that's also true.”
Union head coach Bo Svensson: “We have a difficult task ahead of us. VfB have started the season well and still have a lot of quality despite the injuries. They bring their coach’s signature onto the pitch impressively. It will be difficult, but we are looking forward to it.”
Goalscoring run
Last time out at the MHP Arena, VfB beat VfL Bochum 2-0 to register back-to-back Bundesliga wins at home for the first time this season. It also extended their run of scoring at least once in every home league match under Hoeneß, which now stands at 27 games – the longest goalscoring run at home since a 28-game streak between 1981 and 1983.
Union, on the other hand, have found the net just seven times in their last 19 away outings in the Bundesliga, failing to score in 14 of those. They’ve also lost whenever they’ve played away from home on a Friday night in the German flight – five times to date.
Crunch time
VfB have netted nine goals in the final 15 minutes of matches so far this season, the most in the league (including one most recently against Bremen). However, the Berliners have only conceded once during this stage of the game, less than any other team.
In form
Maximilian Mittelstädt has set up four goals in the Bundesliga this season, already matching his output from the whole of the previous campaign. The left-back is also the second-best tackler in the league (69.1% success rate) after RB Leipzig’s Willi Orban (72.1%).
Team news
Jamie Leweling, Daxo Zagadou, Luca Raimund, El Bilal, Deniz Undav and Ameen Al Dakhilare unavailable against Union Berlin.