After moving into the round of 16 of the Europa League against Ajax Amsterdam on Thursday, 1. FC Union Berlin travels to FC Bayern Munich on Sunday, February 26th, 2023. The duel in the Allianz Arena will kick off at 5:30 p.m.
the initial situation
With FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Union Berlin, three teams were tied at the top of the Bundesliga table before the match day. For the first time since the introduction of the 3-point system, this has happened at such a late point in the season. The direct duel in the Bavarian state capital is about nothing less than defending or conquering the lead in the table.
The record champions and hosts can look back on a full week of preparation; Bayern played their last game last Saturday in Mönchengladbach. At Borussia it was a 2:3 defeat, which ended the previously ongoing series of 20 games without defeat. They last met on the international stage four days later, they won the first leg of the Champions League round of 16 at Paris Saint-Germain 1-0.
With a 3-1 win over Ajax Amsterdam on aggregate, the Irons qualified for the round of 16 in the Europa League. As the draw in Nyon, Switzerland revealed, they will meet Royale Union Saint-Gilloise there – as they did in the group stage.
The opponent check
Most points before the match day, the best offense and also the defense with the fewest goals conceded. As in previous years, when looking at the statistics, you can tick FC Bayern. On average, almost three own goals and only one goal per game testify to an offensive and goal-rich style of play. After Bayern’s 61 goals, second-placed Borussia Dortmund, for example, had the second-best attack in the Bundesliga with “only” 44 goals before kick-off against TSG Hoffenheim.
While the Irons are still undefeated in the football year 2023 and, apart from the two draws against FC Schalke 04 and Ajax Amsterdam, were able to win all other games, FC Bayern only scored nine out of a possible eighteen points in the Bundesliga after the winter break.
The staff
Except for András Schäfer, all players are available for the encounter.
The voices of the game
Urs Fischer: “FC Bayern is a top European team. They have many players who can make the difference and decide games alone. They’ve changed their style a bit lately, sometimes opted for the long ball and after the defeat on the previous day they’re probably a bit irritated. We had a good plan in the first leg, which largely worked out and we need that again now. Nevertheless, it will be a very difficult game.”
Julian Nagelsmann: “I’m expecting a top game in the Bundesliga, it’s about leading the table and putting a direct competitor back at a distance. Union had a tough Europa League game on Thursday but they are used to the English weeks and have a large squad. The Unioners always put their football on the field: defending deeply, a lot is designed for counterattacks, and with their physicality, they keep sharpening the second ball. It’s always uncomfortable to play them, it’s not easy because you don’t have much space. We mustn’t make any mistakes in possession so that their speed doesn’t get onto the pitch. It will definitely be an exciting and interesting game, hopefully with a better outcome for us.”
Serviceinfos
The available ticket contingent in the guest area is sold out. Further important information on how to get here and for visiting the stadium can be found here.
The game will be live on DAZN broadcast and, as usual, Union also provides information about the game in the club’s own live ticker. Additionally there is an audio stream on rbb24 Inforadio and up www.rbb24.de.
