Union Berlin vs. Eintracht Frankfurt preview: Crucial season opener at the Alte Försterei

1. FC UNION BERLIN

Under the helm of Steffen Baumgart for the first half and history-making Marie-Louise Eta for the second half, 1. FC Union Berlin saw a slight rise in their 2025/26 record compared to 2024/25 - moving up two places from thirteenth to eleventh with a 10-9-15 record and 39 points, just five away from this weekend’s Hessian opposition.

Union Berlin were well-known as a defensive team in the Bundesliga last season, with the third-least shots on target taken (133) - 24 shots and a full seven places behind Frankfurt (157). Union ended up with the worst shot on target rate in the Bundesliga (31,4%), while Frankfurt, on the contrary, finished third-best (38,5%).

At the same time, they faced the fourth-least shots of any Bundesliga team during that campaign (150), which was a difference of 14 shots (164) and five places from Frankfurt. It is worth noting that despite the same number of clean sheets (7 - 20,6%), Union (61,3%) and Frankfurt (60,4%) finished third and second worst in save percentage, with 1. FC Köln (59,4%) at the bottom.

One thing to watch from Die Eisernen in this match is their wing-based play, which could continue under new Swiss coach Mauro Lustrinelli, and whether Frankfurt will be able to counter that. Crosses from the wings is one category where Union clears Frankfurt statistically; the capital club finished the 2025/26 season with the fourth-most crosses (674), only behind TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (698), 1. FSV Mainz 05 (684), and VfB Stuttgart (680) - while Frankfurt finished with the least (507).

Team News

Danish goalkeeper Frederik Rønnow (thigh) is doubtful to start due to an injury that he suffered in late April against RB Leipzig. Serbian centre-forward Andrej Ilić (illness) is expected to return for the third or fourth matchweek, as are German centre-back Marvin Friedrich (unknown) and Danish left midfielder Robert Skov (muscle), and German striker Oliver Burke (Achilles tendon).

French centre-back Stanley N’Soki (Calf) will be unavailable until the middle of September. The only long-term injury is to German defender Andrik Markgraf (anterior cruciate ligament), who had to be substituted off during a preseason friendly against Regionalliga Nordost side Chemnitzer FC and will not be returning to the training ground until March 2027.

EINTRACHT FRANKFURT

After a strong third-place finish and qualification for Champions League football under Dino Toppmöller in the 2024/25 season, Eintracht Frankfurt saw some relative inconsistency in their 2025/26 campaign - exiting the Champions League in the group stage, exiting the DFB-Pokal in the second round (to Borussia Dortmund on penalties), and finishing just three points outside of the last spot in European competition to SC Freiburg, with an 11-11-12 record and 44 points.

Die Adler have two players with seven or more goals, those being German striker Jonathan Burkardt and Germany-born Turkish attacking midfielder Can Uzun. Additionally, four of their players finished with 10 goal + assist contributions in the 2025/26 season (Burkardt, Uzun, France-born Algerian defensive midfielder Farès Chaïbi, and Japanese right winger Ritsu Dōan) - compared to just one from Union (Andrej Ilić).

Frankfurt have not defeated Union in any of their last five meetings (0-3-2); in the 2025/26 season, they lost at home (3-4) and drew away (1-1), with now-FC Bayern München left-back Nathaniel Brown scoring in both of those matches. Their last victory was in Berlin on 4. November 2023, outshot 11-4 but ultimately 3-0 victors on goals from Omar Marmoush (2’, 14’) and Nacho Ferri (82’). Of the sixteen Frankfurt players involved that day, only five return to this squad (Farès Chaïbi, Mario Götze, Ansgar Knauff, Robin Koch, Hugo Larsson), and three from Union (Janik Haberer, Frederik Rønnow, Christopher Trimmel).

Team News

American midfielder Timothy Chandler (thigh) has returned to training after picking up an injury following the preseason match against Süper Lig club Trabzonspor; however, it is unknown whether he will make an appearance in this match. German centre-back Nnamdi Collins (back), Swedish defensive midfielder Hugo Larsson (muscle), and Japanese right winger Ritsu Dōan (muscle), all key pieces within the squad, could return for the second or third matchweek.

German centre-back Jessic Ngankam (thigh) and German striker Ansgar Knauff (thigh) will be out until mid-September. Fortunately for Eintracht Frankfurt, going into the 2026/27 season, they are one of the few teams in the Bundesliga not to have at least one injury with a timetable of over a month.

Predicted lineups

Click here to view the confirmed lineups for the 1. FC Union Berlin - Eintracht Frankfurt match.