Preview: Union Berlin vs. Wolfsburg - prediction, team news, lineups

This fixture will see Union boss Nenad Bjelica return to the dugout after a three-game touchline ban, with his side still just above the drop zone.

Match preview

After a promising finish to 2023 after Bjelica took over, Union have been rather inconsistent since the return of Bundesliga action.

That set of results after the manager was appointed lifted them out of the bottom three, after they found themselves bottom of the table at one point following a record-breaking losing run.

However, their five fixtures in 2024 have yielded just five points, with their one win coming at home to bottom-placed Darmstadt.

Their only other goal in that run came in midweek, when they drew 1-1 with Mainz in a rearranged affair that was initially postponed a few weeks ago.

That was the second rescheduled game Union have had to play this year, as their clash with Bayern Munich was also called off in December, meaning four of their last five games have been away from home.

Home is where the majority of their points have come, as three straight wins at Der Alten Forsterei has also seen them concede just once, so they will look to take advantage of familiar surroundings here.

In comparison, Union have the league's worst away record, with just five points won from a possible 33 so far, and that is part of the reason why they enter this matchday still just three points above the relegation zone.

Wolfsburg know all too well about Union's strong home form, as they are still yet to win here since the Berlin club were promoted in 2019.

On five visits, Wolfsburg have conceded two on each occasion, drawing two and losing three, and another failure to win here would not only extend their winless run to six at this venue, but to six in the Bundesliga too.

Wolfsburg have not gone on a six-game winless run under Niko Kovac, but they are currently in a peculiar run of form which has seen them draw all four games in 2024 so far.

Three consecutive 1-1 scorelines against Mainz, Heidenheim and Koln was then followed up by a 2-2 draw last weekend against Hoffenheim, where they were forced to come from behind twice with two Lovro Majer strikes.

Unsurprisingly, given that run of form, Wolfsburg are marooned in mid-table, 11th in the standings, eight points off Europe and eight points above the bottom three.

Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

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Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:

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Team News

Union have been strengthened in midfield by the returns of Aissa Laidouni and Alex Kral and the signing of Yorbe Vertessen from PSV Eindhoven in recent weeks.

Laidouni made his first start in midweek after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, while Kral joined Fredrik Ronnow and Diogo Leite in recovering from illness this week.

Jerome Roussillon also made a comeback in midweek, and the club hope fellow wing-back Josip Juranovic will follow suit in due course.

Christopher Trimmel's red card against RB Leipzig was extended to a two-match ban meaning he will remain out here, along with Kevin Vogt and Janik Haberer, who were both booked against Mainz, triggering suspensions of their own.

Kevin Behrens may start up top for Wolfsburg against the side he left just a matter of weeks ago, after registering an assist on his debut last weekend.

That was to tee up Majer, who netted twice off the bench to earn his side a point, and the Croatian may be rewarded with a place in the starting XI by his compatriot Kovac here.

The likelihood of that is increased even further by Aster Vranckx's injury which makes him a doubt, while Patrick Wimmer and Lukas Nmecha are back in training after recent absences, but are not yet match fit.

Maxence Lacroix and Sebastiaan Bornauw will also undergo late fitness tests after returning to training this week in what would be a huge boost to Kovac's defensive options.

One late blow handed to the Wolfsburg boss is that Koen Casteels will miss out with a bruised back, meaning 36-year-old Pavao Pervan is set to deputise in goal.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:

Ronnow; Knoche, Doekhi, Diogo Leite; Schafer, Kral, Laidouni, Vertessen, Gosens; Bedia, Hollerbach

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:

Pervan; Maehle, Bornauw, Lacroix, Rogerio; Cerny, Gerhardt, Arnold, Majer; Wind, Behrens

We say: Union Berlin 2-1 Wolfsburg

Without their home form, Union would certainly still be in the bottom three, and they will come into this clash as slight favourites to make it four home wins in a row.

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