Union Berlin vs. Werder Bremen – News and Probable Lineups

In a bid to avoid the Bundesliga relegation zone, Werder Bremen will visit Union Berlin at the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei on Sunday.

Die Eisernen are eager to recover from their last defeat, while Die Werderaner are aiming for consecutive victories for the first time this season.

Match overview

Union, managed by Steffen Baumgart, started the 2025-26 season with a 2-1 victory against Stuttgart, but any aspirations for European qualification have faded, as they have won only once in their last nine matches, with four losses and four draws.

Recently, Die Eisernen followed a rare win – a 1-0 victory over Bayer Leverkusen on February 21 – with a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach just a week later.

This loss has placed Baumgart’s squad in 10th in the Bundesliga, with only 28 points, leaving them 15 points adrift of sixth-placed Die Werkself, with merely 10 fixtures remaining.

While reaching the top six appears out of reach for Union, they must keep an eye on the three teams below them, as they hover just six points above the relegation zone, a margin that may be precarious given their poor form.

As they look to pull away from relegation threats, the home crowd might take solace in Die Eisernen’s recent record, having lost just one of their last five home games.

Nonetheless, some concerned supporters might point out that Baumgart’s side has only secured three wins from their 12 league matches at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei this season, making Sunday’s encounter feel crucial.

On the other hand, Werder sacked former head coach Horst Steffen after a 1-1 draw with Gladbach on January 31, extending their winless streak to 10 matches. They appointed ex-Fortuna Dusseldorf manager Daniel Thioune as his replacement in early February.

The 51-year-old has overseen four matches thus far, beginning his tenure with three consecutive losses, although a 2-0 win against bottom-placed Heidenheim at the end of last month could provide a spark for his team.

That victory lifted Thioune’s players to 16th in the Bundesliga standings, with a total of 22 points, putting them just one point away from 15th-placed St Pauli and 16th-placed Mainz 05, meaning that safety is attainable.

Traveling supporters will feel uplifted at the prospect that another victory could allow Die Werderaner to escape relegation, but caution is warranted, given that the visitors have only managed to avoid defeat in one of their last seven away league matches.

Moreover, Bremen has secured just one away win in the 2025-26 season and has failed to score in four of their last five away games, indicating that a significant turn of events is necessary for Thioune to lead his team to success on Sunday.

Team News

Union will be missing center-back duo Diogo Leite and Tom Rothe this weekend due to thigh and muscle injuries, respectively. However, Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld, and Stanley Nsoki are expected to form the defensive trio under Baumgart.

In addition, versatile wide player Robert Skov is out due to a calf injury, which will likely see Derrick Kohn starting at left wing-back, while Christopher Trimmel will play on the right.

For Werder, they are also dealing with several absences in defense, including central defenders Abdoul Karim Coulibaly and Amos Pieper, who are sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries. Fellow center-back Maximilian Wober will also miss out due to a thigh injury.

As for full-backs, Felix Agu and Mitchell Weiser are still unavailable due to groin and knee issues, leading Thioune to possibly select Niklas Stark and Marco Friedl to anchor the defense, supported by Yukinari Sugawara and Olivier Deman.

In the attacking area, striker Victor Boniface continues to recover from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, keeping him sidelined until May. Left winger Samuel Mbangula is also unavailable due to a thigh injury, while forward Jovan Milosevic is a doubt with a back issue.

If Milosevic is not fit to play, then Keke Topp may start as the center-forward, with Romano Schmid and Marco Grull providing support.

Union Berlin probable starting XI:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki; Trimmel, Khedira, Kemlein, Kohn; Schafer, Ansah; Burke

Werder Bremen probable starting XI:

bakery; Sugawara, Stark, Friedl, Deman; Stage, Lynen, Puertas; Schmid, Topp, Grull

Although Union may not be in great form, their home performance and tenacity on their own ground suggest they are unlikely to be defeated this Sunday.

That said, Werder will draw motivation from their recent win, and considering their opportunity to escape the relegation zone this weekend, they are expected to provide a challenge for their hosts.