Union Berlin vs. Arminia Bielefeld: DFB-Pokal preview, team news & predicted lineups
| Union Berlin | Selim Sudheimer/Getty Images |
After eliminating four Bundesliga clubs to reach the DFB-Pokal final last time out, Arminia Bielefeld caused the only top-tier casualty in the first round. Union Berlin will hope to avoid that fate on Wednesday night.
Union Berlin
Steffen Baumgart’s side collected seven points from their first four Bundesliga matches of the season. If there is one thing that could concern the capital city club, it’s the lack of goals in recent encounters.
Union failed to score in three of their last four matches. Center-back Danilho Doekhi was the player who netted an early brace in their 3-1 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach. They are currently in tenth place with ten points.
Including in the last two, Union Berlin have been knocked out of the cup at this stage in six of the last nine years. Back in 2022, they were very close to reaching the Olympiastadion final, but Emil Forsberg and RB Leipzig broke their hearts in injury-time.
Team News
There are no new injuries in Union Berlin’s squad, but Baumgart will most likely opt for a few changes to his lineup.
Arminia Bielefeld
Exactly a year ago, it was against Union Berlin that Bielefeld won 2-0 in the second round of last season’s run. On Saturday, the newly-promoted club returned to winning ways in 2. Bundesliga with a same scoreline victory over league leaders SV Elversberg.
The home win ended a four-game losing streak for Mitch Kniat’s side. In contrast to their Wednesday hosts, Bielefeld scored in every game this season. And their season started with a massive cupset against Werder Bremen, a club they also eliminated in their historic run to the final as a 3. Liga team.
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Isaiah Young’s winner only arrived in the 93rd minute, but they thoroughly deserved their victory in what was the only tie in which a Bundesliga team failed to progress. On Wednesday, they will hope to do another double against Union Berlin.
Team News
Midfielders Stefano Russo and Marvin Mehlem will not be in the traveling squad due to injuries. Joel Grodowski will aim to score for the third match in a row.
Predicted Lineups
Union: Rönnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Trimmel ©, Khedira, Schäfer, Rothe; Burke, Ansah; Ilic
Bielefeld: Kersken; Lannert, Schneider, Großer, Felix, Handwerker; Schreck, Corboz ©, Wörl; Sarenren Bazee, Grodowski
