FC Union Berlin vs Holstein Kiel match preview, team news and prediction
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As of the time of writing, Union Berlin are currently 12th in the Bundesliga. They have seventeen points from their opening fourteen league games. They have four wins, five draws and have lost five times in the league this season.
Despite a brilliant 2022/23 season where they finished fourth in the league and qualified for a first ever UEFA Champions League where they were eliminated in the group stages after failing to win a game suffering four losses and drawing two other games, they however endured a disappointing 2023/24 season where they finished 15th in the league finishing just above the relegation zone. They won just nine games and lost nineteen matches in the league.
In the summer, they were able to secure the services of left midfielder Tom Rothe from Borussia Dortmund. They were also able to sign midfielder Laszlo Benes from 2.Bundesliga side Hamburg. Goalkeeper Carl Kalus joined on a free transfer from Nuremberg and Andrej Ilic joined on a season long-loan deal from French side Lille. Jamie Leweling left the club to join Stuttgart after a successful loan stint at the club while leftback Robin Gosens moved to Fiorentina on loan. Experienced defender Robin Knoche also left the club at the end of his contract to join FC Nuremberg.
They began the season with an entertaining 1-1 draw at Mainz. They grabbed their first league win of the season in a hard-fought 1-0 win over newly-promoted St. Pauli on Matchday two.
They were beaten for the first time on Matchday five by Borussia Monchengladbach as a late goal by Tomas Cvancara condemned them to defeat.
Their last match as of the time of writing was a disappointing 1-1 draw at home against VfL Bochum despite playing with a man advantage for a longer duration of the game after their opponent had a player sent off in the 13th minute. In the German cup, they suffered an embarrassing elimination at the hands of Arminia Bielefeld when they suffered a 2-0 loss in the second round after claiming a less than convincing 1-0 away win at Greifswald in the first round.
Holstein Kiel on the other hand are making their debut in the Bundesliga. They were promoted for the first time ever in the 2023/24 season after finishing in the top two in the second division of the German League. They clinched promotion on the 11th of May, 2024 after a 1-1 draw with Fortuna Dusseldorf. In the summer, they signed midfielder Armin Gigovic and Magnus Knudsen from Russian side Rostov and also secured the services of Max Geschwill from third division side Sandhausen.
Philipp Sander left the club to join Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach while left winger Joshua Mees also left at the end of his contract.
They have struggled to adapt to the demands of the top flight league. As of the time of writing, they are currently 17th on the table with just five points from their first fourteen league games. The club have lost eleven times in the league and have picked up just two draws and a single victory in their fourteen league matches this season.
They began the season with a 3-2 loss at Hoffenheim on Matchday one. They picked up their first points when they held Bochum to a 2-2 draw away from home on Matchday four. Their only victory of the league season was a 1-0 home win over Heidenheim as a Patrick Erras strike secured maximum points.
Their most recent league outing was a 4-1 thrashing suffered at the hands of Borussia Monchengladbach at the Borussia Park in Germany as a brace for Alassane Plea secured a comfortable victory for the host side. In the German Cup, they defeated Alemannia Aachen 3-2 away from home in the first round. They however suffered a disappointing 3-0 loss at 2.Bundesliga side Koln in the second round.
This will be a second ever meeting between both sides in the German Bundesliga with Union Berlin coming out 2-0 victors on Matchday seven when both sides first met. They have however faced each other in the German lower division with Holstein Kiel coming out victorious twice in their last nine meetings. Union Berlin have won five times with two other games ending in stalemate.
Match tickets
The exciting match at the Stadion An der Alten Arena kicks off on the 1st of March, 2025.The magnificent 22,012-capacity stadium in Berlin with its electrifying atmosphere will be ready to host this fixture.
Getting Union Berlin vs Holstein Kiel tickets could take a lot of work given the standard of this game. Hence, you are advised to search ticket reselling sites should they be expectedly sold out on each club's channels.
Team News
As of the time of writing, goalkeeper Yannic Stein, striker Andrej Ilic and striker Kevin Volland are currently unavailable for selection due to injuries and will be hoping to be fit for this encounter later in the new year.Possible Lineup
Union Berlin: Ronnow(Gk), Doekhi, Vogt, Leite, Skov, Kemlein, Khedira, Rothe, Jeong, Skarke, Hollerbach.
As of the time of writing, the relegation-threatened side are currently without the likes of Timo Becker, Patrick Erras and Colin Kleine-Bekel who are all out due to injuries but should be expected back before the game in March. Center-back Marco Komenda is also out injured.
Possible Lineup
Holstein Kiel: Weiner(GK), Ivezic, Schulz, Geschwill, Rosenboom, Gigovic, Knudsen, Remberg, Porath, Machino, Harres.
Prediction
Union Berlin have enough quality in their ranks to defeat their relegation-threatened opponents who have struggled to adapt to the Bundesliga. They have also been on top in recent meetings between both sides and this should be a straight forward victory for the men from the capital. It is advised that fans should get the Union Berlin tickets on time.Union Berlin 3-0 Holstein Kiel
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