Union Berlin-Stuttgart is a match on the eighth day of the Bundesliga and is played on Saturday at 3:30pm: TV, likely lineups, predictions.
That it was not easy for Union Berlin to maintain last season’s level was quite predictable. Urs Fischer’s team, however, for the past few weeks seems to have gone into a downward spiral from which they are struggling to come out of. Since the end of August, in fact, they have exclusively collected defeats between Bundesliga and Champions League: the one with Borussia Dortmund (4-2) was the seventh consecutive one.
The initial victories against Mainz and Darmstadt had deluded: since the 3-0 loss at home to Leipzig, the red and whites have not recovered, surrendering not only to battleships – against Real Madrid they cashed in the decisive goal in mid-recovery after a decent defensive performance – but also to opponents within reach such as Wolfsburg and Heidenheim. In the last two outings between the cup and the league (Braga and Borussia Dortmund), the attack, which has been dry for three matches in a row, has awakened, but the defense continues to tread water – seven goals conceded between the Portuguese and the yellow and red – despite the fact that since this year it can count on an experienced player like Bonucci, who scored (on a penalty) in the pyrotechnic challenge at Signal Iduna Park.
Fischer hopes that the break has done his men good, even if the unleashed Stuttgart, second in the standings behind Bayer Leverkusen, arrives in the German capital.
Guirassy
The Swabians represent the big surprise of this beginning of the season: their record is almost spotless and only the defeat, the only one so far, last August with Leipzig “soiled” it. Since then the team coached by Sebastian Hoeness has been keeping a title pace, dragged along by the goals of bomber Serhou Guirassy, scoring 13 times in just seven Bundesliga days. Stuttgart boasts the second best attack in the tournament, second only to those of Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen: can we really dream big?
The prediction
Stuttgart seems to have a good chance of snatching another positive result even at home to a struggling Union Berlin. The overall goals, in light of the Capitols’ defensive problems and the guests’ scoring average, could be at least three.
The probable lineups of Union Berlin-Stuttgart
- UNION BERLIN (3-1-4-2): Rønnow; Doekhi, Bonucci, Leite; Král; Juranović, Laïdouni, Haberer, Gosens; Becker, Behren.
- STOCCARDA (4-2-3-1): Nübel; Stenzel, Rouault, Anton, Ito; Karazor, Stiller; Silas, Millot, Führich; Guirassy.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
