"I love this atmosphere": Union boss Steffen Baumgart ahead of clash at BVB | OneFootball

Four games – zero points. The record of 1. FC Union Berlin in Dortmund has room for improvement. Last season, the capital club even suffered a hefty 0:6 defeat. Union coach Steffen Baumgart (53) recalls: "That wasn't the first heavy defeat I've had there against Dortmund."

On Sunday (August 31, 5:30 PM), the Iron Ones will attempt for the fifth time to take something tangible from Signal Iduna Park. Despite the poor record, Baumgart remains optimistic. He "always enjoys going there," the football coach said on Friday at the press conference before the match against BVB. He explains: "I love the atmosphere and also love the great challenge of going there." The Union coach is convinced that "a whole lot" awaits his players.

Baumgart has faced Borussia Dortmund nine times as a coach. Only in the 2022/23 season was the football coach able to secure a victory. With 1. FC Köln, he won 3:2 at home. Twice he managed at least a draw. But six times he left the field with his team as the loser. His team even conceded six goals three times. Besides the aforementioned 0:6 defeat, he lost 1:6 with SC Paderborn (2019/20) and also with Köln (2022/23).

"We don't live in the past"

However, the defeats no longer weigh on the native of Rostock today. "We don't live in the past, but in the present," Baumgart explains dryly. Reflecting on the thrashing from last season, he says: "That was a very, very long time ago. I would say we've come a certain way since then."

Union started the new season with a 2:1 win against VfB Stuttgart. In the DFB-Pokal, the Köpenick team advanced to the second round after a 5:0 victory at FC Gütersloh. Now Baumgart wants to add another chapter to the success story.

Although BVB gave up a point in their opener against FC St. Pauli after leading 3:1, the 53-year-old believes "that Dortmund has developed further, even if they conceded three goals." Baumgart continues: "Dortmund is capable of playing very good possession football and playing well against a deep-lying opponent."

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.