Fan-owned Union Berlin finding rise to top of German soccer hard to believe
BERLIN (AP) — Even the gamers are having a tough time believing Union Berlin’s outstanding run this season.
“It’s a bit surreal,” Union midfielder Rani Khedira mentioned after Saturday’s 2-1 win over Leipzig within the Bundesliga.
Promoted for the primary time in 2019, Union has already reached — and surpassed — its season goal of 40 factors to make sure survival and its place within the league for a fifth season. There are nonetheless 14 video games to go.
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“No one had imagined this development,” Khedira mentioned. “We sat down before the season, and it quickly became apparent to everyone that we wanted to reach 40 points again as quickly as possible because we know how difficult the Bundesliga is.”
Despite modest sources, Union is just a degree behind 10-time defending champion Bayern Munich in second place after successful each recreation because the flip of the yr.
“The madness continues,” Union coach Urs Fischer mentioned after the win in Leipzig.
It was the membership’s fifth consecutive 2-1 league victory over Leipzig and it ended the house group’s 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions.
Fischer echoed Khedira, who was captain rather than the rested Christopher Trimmel, when he referred to the group’s level whole.
“It’s even more surreal than it was before the game,” the Swiss coach said. “Forty-two points in the 20th round, what should I say?”
Leipzig, backed and managed by power drink big Red Bull, was seen as a real title contender after successful the German Cup final yr. But the loss to Union, a membership owned by its 49,000 members, left Leipzig seven factors behind Bayern.
It was the fourth recreation from the six this yr that Union circled to win after falling a aim behind.
“We don’t know exactly how we turn games like this around. I think it’s simply an unbelievable morale,” mentioned Khedira, the youthful brother of former Germany midfielder Sami Khedira. “It wasn’t a deserved win, it wasn’t a nice win, but a win for morale. And I think that’s what makes this team.”
Union additionally got here from behind to achieve the German Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg on Feb. 1.
Union made good use of the Bundesliga’s prolonged winter break. The group’s punishing schedule took its toll in November because it conceded 11 targets in three video games with no win. Union beforehand had the league’s finest defence with solely 9 targets conceded in 12 video games.
While the gamers recovered, Union basic supervisor Oliver Ruhnert labored on reinforcements, bringing in Croatia fullback Josip Juranović from Celtic, Tunisia midfielder Aïssa Laïdouni from Ferencvaros, and French defender Jerome Roussillon from Wolfsburg to compensate for the departures of Julian Ryerson and Genki Haraguchi.
All three new arrivals have featured prominently within the group’s successful begin to the yr.
Five straight victories within the Bundesliga is a report for Union, the one group within the league to have performed within the DDR-Oberliga, East Germany’s Bundesliga equal.
The group subsequent visits Dutch membership Ajax in Europa League playoffs on Thursday. It’s the primary time Union has been within the knockout phases of the competitors.
Former West Germany captain Lothar Matthäus, commentating on TV, was effusive along with his reward after Saturday’s victory.
“We don’t want to just talk about the championship, but Union’s performances over the last years. Union is still competing in three competitions this season. For a club like Union, which was promoted four years ago, it’s everything, it’s enormous, it deserves the highest recognition from every soccer fan, whether a Union fan or not,” Matthäus mentioned.
“In such games, with such fans, with this mentality, how they play games. They don’t just play soccer, they work soccer, and that’s Union’s strength. That’s why they’re so successful, because they work for one another.”
