Do the Eisernen take the next step towards Europe?
Union Berlin will become the 43rd club to play their 100th game in the Bundesliga on Friday. For a still relative newcomer, the record so far is outstanding with more wins than defeats. However, no one will be thinking about that in the home game against Greuther Fürth, as the Eisernen want to collect the next points on their way to the European Cup.
The Köpenickers are well on the way to playing internationally again. Urs Fischer’s team is currently in sixth place. That would ultimately mean participation in the Europa League. Even the top flight is only four points away and at least dreaming of the Champions League is still allowed three matchdays before the end of the season.
The visitors from Fürth, on the other hand, have missed their goal for the season. The second relegation after only one season is sealed for the Franconians after the last weekend. Even the red lantern will no longer be available. Therefore, it should be clear that in the duel between Union Berlin and Greuther Fürth, the prediction must go to a home win.
Union Berlin – Statistics & current form
The Alte Försterei is an absolute fortress for Union Berlin and once again this season the foundation stone for probably being able to plan for the European Cup. The Berliners have only lost two of their last 31 home games in the Bundesliga. When you consider that many of these games were played with few or no spectators, this record is very impressive.
Union in winning mood
Especially on Friday night, there’s not much to be gained in Köpenick. The Eisernen have won five of their last six home games on Friday. On top of that, the Fischer eleven is in remarkable shape. In April, the capital city team won four Bundesliga games. Only Bayern can boast a longer winning streak at the moment. That’s why we’re only looking at the odds for a home win in the match between Union Berlin and Fürth.
Last weekend, Berlin took revenge for their defeat in the semi-finals of the DFB Cup. At RB Leipzig, however, it looked for a long time like the next defeat, as the Bullen led 1-0 until the 86th minute, before the Köpenicker’s jokers stung. Sven Michel and Kevin Behrens turned the scores in the closing minutes into a 2-1 away win.
Centre-back Timo Baumgartl was still suspended in Leipzig and will now be unable to play again due to illness. Dominique Heintz is expected to start from the beginning again. Andras Schäfer had to go into quarantine and will be the second player not to play. Genki Haraguchi should be the first option for the starting eleven.
Union Berlin’s likely line-up:
Rönnow – Jaeckel, Knoche, Heintz – Trimmel, Khedira, Gießelmann – Haraguchi, Prömel – Awoniyi, Becker – Coach: Fischer
Last matches played by Union Berlin:
Bundesliga
23/04/2022 – RB Leipzig 1 – 2 Union Berlin
DFB Cup
21/04/2022 – RB Leipzig 2 – 1 Union Berlin
Bundesliga
17/04/2022 – Union Berlin 2 – 0 Eintracht Frankfurt
09/04/2022 – Hertha BSC 1 – 4 Union Berlin
02/04/2022 – Union Berlin 1 – 0 1. FC Köln
Fürth – Statistics & current form
It was truly not a pleasant week for Spielvereinigung Greuther Fürth. They had been resigned to relegation for months and it was basically only a matter of time before it became a foregone conclusion. But the fact that Stefan Leitl announced his departure during the week and moved to Hannover, a second-division club, came as something of a surprise.
Since mid-February without a Bundesliga win
Now Rachid Azzouzi not only has to put together a team for the lower division, but also look for a new coach. And there are still plenty of sporting problems, as the Franconians have now gone nine games without a win. That’s why we’re sticking to our forecast of a home win for Union Berlin against Fürth.
Last weekend, Fürth were hopelessly out of their depth at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Jetro Willems even gave the cloverleaf a 1:0 lead after five minutes. By the break, however, the Werkself had already turned the game around and added two more goals after the changeover for a 4:1 away victory.
The personnel situation will not be much better on Friday. The Fürth team is hoping that Max Christiansen and Jamie Leweling will be able to take time off and move into the squad. However, there will still be some players on the bench who are injured. Robin Kehr, Marco Meyerhöfer, Havard Nielsen and Paul Seguin are still certain to be absent.
Projected line-up of Fürth:
Linde – Griesbeck, Bauer, Viergever – Asta, Itter – Raschl, Tillman, Green – Ngankam, Hrgota – Coach: Leitl
Last matches played by Fürth:
Bundesliga
23/04/2022 – Greuther Fürth 1 – 4 Bayer Leverkusen
17/04/2022 – Hoffenheim 0 – 0 Greuther Fürth
09/04/2022 – Greuther Fürth 0 – 2 Gladbach
02/04/2022 – Eintracht Frankfurt 0 – 0 Greuther Fürth
Friendly club matches
25/03/2022 – Jahn Regensburg 0 – 3 Greuther Fürth
Union Berlin – Fürth Direct comparison / H2H-Balance
Union Berlin and Greuther Fürth have faced each other a total of 27 times so far. The first match took place in the early 1920s in the semi-finals of the German championship. After that, however, the two clubs did not meet again for almost 80 years. The direct comparison speaks in favour of the Franconians with 11:6 victories and ten draws.
In the second Bundesliga, Union has not lost to any other club more often. The cloverleaf has won six times at the Alte Försterei. The first leg of the current season was played at Fürth’s Ronhof. It was the first win of the season that the promoted team could celebrate. It was the turning point from not being competitive to being somewhat Bundesliga-capable. Havard Nielsen was the scorer of the golden goal in the 1-0 win.
Union Berlin – Fürth Tip
Besides the good record in the direct comparisons, not much speaks in favour of the visitors before Fürth’s duel in Berlin. Relegation is already sealed, which is not exactly conducive to going into the last three matchdays still highly motivated. On top of that, the coach is on a farewell tour and will also have a hard time pulling his players along.
The situation is completely different for the Köpenickers. In April, there were four victories in the Bundesliga. On Fridays, the Eisernen won five of their last six home games and then there were only two home defeats in the last 31 Bundesliga games anyway.
We also think a handicap win for the home side is conceivable. A home win with two or more goals difference is certainly conceivable given the current situation for both teams. There should at least be no way around a home win. However, we have decided to play the betting odds on HT/FT for the hosts in the match between Union Berlin and Fürth.
