Borussia Dortmund vs Union Berlin preview: BVB look to salvage season

Borussia Dortmund will look to rescue their faltering Bundesliga season when they welcome Union Berlin to Signal Iduna Park on Saturday.

Borussia Dortmund

BVB come into this fixture reeling from a humiliating 2-0 defeat against second-bottom VfL Bochum on 15 February, leaving them in 11th place with 29 points, just five points and two positions ahead of Union Berlin.

Dortmund conceded twice in a chaotic first half against Bochum, yet their second-half display was notably lacklustre. They failed to create a clear-cut opportunity, registered just one shot on target and recorded an expected goals (xG) tally of only 0.46.

Defensive frailties remain a major issue, with Dortmund shipping at least two goals in six of their last seven league matches, conceding 16 times in total over that period.

To his credit, manager Niko Kovač guided his side to a goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday, securing a 3-0 aggregate victory to advance to the round of 16.

Despite only taking charge in January following Nuri Şahin’s dismissal, Kovač has already suffered two league defeats, failing to claim a Bundesliga win in his tenure so far.

Dortmund’s form has been inconsistent, winning three of their last six games in all competitions, losing two and drawing one. However, in the Bundesliga, they have been defeated in five of their past seven matches.

Team News

Dortmund have only one confirmed absentee, with midfielder Felix Nmecha sidelined until at least late March. As a result, Marcel Sabitzer and Pascal Groß are expected to start in central midfield.

Kovač has deployed Emre Can as a centre-back in all four of his matches in charge, and he is likely to partner Nico Schlotterbeck in defence once again.

Up front, first-choice striker Serhou Guirassy is expected to lead the line, flanked by wingers Jamie Bynoe-Gittens and Karim Adeyemi.

Union Berlin

Union Berlin were beaten 2-1 by Borussia Mönchengladbach on 15 February, and while the scoreline suggested a close contest, they struggled to threaten their opponents. Their only clear-cut chance came in the 63rd minute when Andrej Ilić converted a penalty to reduce their two-goal deficit.

Scoring has been a persistent problem for Die Eisernen, who have failed to find the net in four of their last seven outings. Their tally of 21 goals this season is the joint second-lowest in the Bundesliga.

Union emerged victorious in their previous meeting with Dortmund, winning 2-1 on 5 October after executing a disciplined defensive display that limited BVB to just one major goalscoring opportunity.

Since Steffen Baumgart took charge, Union’s league form has shown signs of improvement. In his five matches at the helm, they have recorded two wins, two defeats and one draw, collecting more points than they managed in their previous 11 fixtures combined.

Union claimed a resounding 4-0 win against Hoffenheim in their most recent away match on 8 February. However, that victory came after a dreadful run on the road, where they lost seven consecutive away games.

Team News

Union Berlin will be without midfielder Aljoscha Kemlein, meaning Janik Haberer and Rani Khedira could form a midfield duo.

In defence, Josip Juranović, Danilho Doekhi, Diogo Leite and Tom Rothe are the most likely candidates to start, particularly with Oluwaseun Ogbemudia and Robert Skov unavailable.

Further forward, Baumgart may opt for an attacking quartet consisting of Woo-Yeong Jeong, Marin Ljubičić, Benedict Hollerbach and Andrej Ilić.