Matchday in focus: Union Berlin

Eintracht Frankfurt

·19 March 2023

Matchday in focus: Union Berlin 

Union’s set-up, a deep dive on Josip Juranovic and a battle of the goalkeepers… here is all you need to know ahead of the Eagles’ trip to Berlin.

Tactics

Coach Urs Fischer tends to prefer a 3-5-2 system with the focus on defence. Union’s back line, with Danilo Doekhi (a closet goal threat, with four already this Bundesliga season) and Robin Knoche, is among the best in the league.

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Absentees

The club from the capital will be without midfielder András Schäfer (injured foot) and forward Kevin Behrens (illness).

Jesper Lindström (ankle), Éric Junior Dina Ebimbe (post-injury rehab) and Sebastian Rode (suspended) are all out for Eintracht.

One to watch: Josip Juranovic Croatia international Josip Juranovic moved to the Alte Försterei from Glasgow in January, having made a name for himself at Celtic with some impressive performances in the UEFA Champions League. The 27-year-old right-sided defender has signed a contract with Union through to 2027.

Born in Zagreb, he went through the youth system at NK Dubrava Tim Kabel in the Croatian capital, where he made his debut as a pro. After spells with HNK Hajduk Split, Legia Warsaw and Celtic, he moved to Union in 2023.
During his time with the green and white side of Glasgow, he won the league cup twice as well as the Scottish League title. He also won the Polish league in 2021 with Legia Warsaw.
Juranovic got an assist in his first game for Union and has gone on to record three goals and as many assists in eight games for his new club. He has had at least one goal involvement in each of the Bundesliga, the UEFA Europa League and the DFB Cup.
He has 27 caps for his country and helped Croatia win the third-place play-off at the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, having played the full 90 minutes in six of the seven matches at the tournament.

Key battle: Frederik Rönnow vs. Kevin Trapp

So far this season, 1. FC Union Berlin have conceded just 28 goals, giving them the second-best defence in the league after Bayern (25). Part of that solidity at the back of course comes courtesy of Danish international goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow. His save percentage of 79.3 puts him second in that particular category, behind only Schalke’s Ralf Fährmann among goalies who have played more than one match this season.

His opponent this weekend is former team-mate Kevin Trapp, who will be keen to win the battle of the number ones. Trapp has a save percentage of 62.1 so far in 2022/23.