Union Berlin and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise will meet again on Thursday. The Belgians will be a difficult opponent for Urs Fischer’s team – but Union still has a score to settle at home
The theme before the game
In all competitions, Union Berlin have not scored in four of their last five games, most recently three times in a row. Union coach Urs Fischer also sees bright spots in the dull numbers. “Let’s take the last game against Köln: we had 26 crosses. That means you’re in the last third, in the penalty area. That means you did some things right if you managed to cross at all,” he emphasized.
However, in the end it was zero. “That’s a necessity in the last third. It’s tight there, there are a lot of players, you have to be precise. That’s where you have to start,” said Fischer.
Even without recent success, the Köpenicker will play to win. “Of course we’re trying to win this game, I think that would be a good starting position for the second leg,” said Fischer. Nevertheless, one could of course not foresee how the game will go. “Maybe you have to live with a draw too.”
What Union can learn from the group games against Union Saint-Gilloise
In the round of 16 of the Europa League, 1. FC Union meets an old acquaintance in Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The group games indicate a defensive opponent. The combination game will be decisive. By Till Oppermannmore
The opponent
Union Berlin drew conclusions from the two group games (0-1, 1-0) against the Belgians, said coach Urs Fischer at the press conference. “Of course we analyzed the two games again and showed the boys scenes. You can take a lot with you from there.” Above all, it is a “very compact chain of five” from Saint-Gilloise. This is “well organized, sometimes a little higher, sometimes a little lower,” said Fischer.
The opponent played extremely deep in Union Berlin’s 1-0 defeat in September last year. “They were very defensive in the first leg, wanted to get into the game through transitions and caught us there once,” said the Swiss coach. “They were a bit higher in the second leg, so there were more opportunities to play in a free space.”
The club from Saint-Gilles is currently in second place in the Belgian league and won the last game after three defeats in a row (2-1 against relegation candidate Eupen).
To show off
Saint-Gilles or Saint-Gilloise – which is actually what? The spelling of Union Berlin’s upcoming opponent can cause confusion. Saint-Gilles is the district of Brussels, while Saint-Gilloise is used as a shortened variant for the club’s supporters.
The only team against which Union Berlin suffered a home defeat this season was Saint-Gilloise of all places. In the group stage it put a deserved one 0-1 defeat. It was the first European Cup game in the stadium at the Alte Försterei, after the home games were played in the Berlin Olympic Stadium in the previous season.
The preparation
Urs Fischer cannot breathe again completely with regard to the personnel for his defensive line. Both left-backs, Jerome Roussillon and Niko Gießelmann, were injured for the game against Köln. For Roussillon, the home game against Saint-Gilloise will come “a day or two too early”. Gießelmann, on the other hand, will probably return to the squad in time for the Europa League round of 16, but should not yet be an option for the starting eleven. Josip Juranovic, with international experience, will therefore again play at left-back and captain Trimmel at right-back against Saint-Gilloise. In the tight race for the spot as a striker alongside Sheraldo Becker, Behrens, who had recently been unlucky, should be given a break. For this, Jordan Siebatcheu moves into the starting lineup.
Union could start like this: Rönnow – Doekhi, Knoche, Leite – Juranovic, Laidouni, Khedira, Haberer, Trimmel – Becker, Jordan
Prognosis
The first leg could be the expected tough game. Both teams are similar in their style of play and shy away from the offensive risk. Both teams are defensively stable and hardly allow any chances. Should the Union be more precise in the passing game and bring Sheraldo Becker’s speed to bear, the Köpenickers could gain a small advantage for the game in Belgium with a narrow win at home.
The rbb | 24 tip: Union Berlin drew the right conclusions from the home game in the group phase against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and also lost nervousness internationally in the course of the Europa League. With the spectators behind them, Union Berlin narrowly won 1-0 in the Stadion an der Alten Försterei with a goal from Becker, giving them a small cushion for the second leg next week.
Show: rbb24, March 8th, 2023, 9:45 p.m
