Union Berlin reached the top division in German football last season and after steadying themselves in their debut Bundesliga campaign, the club appear to be kicking on in 2020/21.
Name: 1. Fußballclub Union Berlin. Nickname: The Iron Ones (Die Eisernen)
Founded: 20th January 1966
Stadium: Stadion An der Alten Försterei. Capacity, 22,012
Manager: Urs Fischer. Fischer is a former Switzerland international that played his entire career in his homeland between 1984-2003. Fischer moved into management in 2010, taking charge of FC Zurich, and stayed at the club for 2-years before leaving with a win ratio of 45.78%. Fischer took over the reigns at Tuna in 2013 and remained there until 2015, leaving with a win rate of 41.07%. In 2015 Fischer got the Basel job and enjoyed an impressive 2-years with the Swiss giants and a win ratio of 66.67%, his highest to date. In 2018 he moved was offered the Union Berlin job, his first managerial position outside of Switzerland, where he guided the club to the Bundesliga in 2019.
Key Players: Max Kruse, Andreas Luthe and Marvin Friedrich. Kruse has been at the heart of most things positive for Union Berlin going forward, netting 6-goals and 5-assists so far this season. Luthe has been solid in goal, keeping on-loan Liverpool goalkeeper Karius out of the side. In defence, Friedrich has led by example, playing in every league game so far and chipping in for 4-goals.
Union Berlin don’t have much of a history in the way of trophies and they have only established themselves in the top two divisions since the turn of the century. In 2001 the club earned promotion to the 2. Bundesliga for the first time since the reunification of the country in 1990. Union Berlin remained in the second tier for three seasons before being relegated.
2009 is when Union Berlin really established themselves as a second-tier side, reaming in the 2. Bundesliga through to 2019. The 2018/19 campaign saw Union Berlin clinch promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, finishing 11th in the debut season in the top-flight.
Union Berlin currently sit 6th in the Bundesliga table, following a positive start to the 2020/21 campaign. The club have only lost two of their opening 13 matches and sit just a point behind Borussia Dortmund. Urs Fischer is doing a great job at the club and could even bring European football to the Berlin club in 2021.