Preview: Union Berlin vs Wolfsburg – prediction, team news, lineups

Stadion An der Alten Forsterei would be the backdrop for a historic second as Union Berlin host relegation-threatened Wolfsburg within the Bundesliga on Saturday, led by the primary-ever feminine supervisor in Europe’s high 5 males’s leagues.

Die Eisernen want to get well from an embarrassing defeat final day trip, whereas Die Wolfe are determined for factors to gas their survival hopes.

Match preview

After seeing Union lose 3-1 against bottom-of-the-table Heidenheim on April 11 – a outcome meaning they’ve received simply two of their 14 league matches in 2026 – the membership’s hierarchy made the choice to half methods with Steffen Baumgartand have appointed Marie-Louise Eta as interim boss.

When the 34-12 months-outdated grew to become Die Eisernen quantity two again in November 2023, she was the primary feminine assistant supervisor within the Bundesliga, and a few might recall that she led from the touchline throughout a 1-0 win against SV Darmstadt in January 2024when then-chief Nenad Bjelica was serving a suspension.

Saturday’s conflict will break new floor within the males’s sport, with Women’s Champions League-winner Eta – who had been working as Union’s Under-19’s head coach – turning into the primary girl to ever handle a males’s sport within the high 5 leagues.

Turning to the match itself, Eta talked about that Die Eisernen’s place within the Bundesliga for 2026-27 is ‘not but safe’, contemplating that the membership sit simply seven factors above St Pauli, who occupy the division’s relegation playoff spot.

With 5 video games remaining within the high flight calendar, Union followers will probably be cautious of the truth that their aspect have received solely one in all their final six outings – a 1-0 victory over Freiburg on March 15 – to not point out that the hosts have triumphed simply as soon as on their very own turf in 2026.

It can also be vital to notice that the hosts have dropped 11 factors throughout their 5 most up-to-date video games, and given their kind each on the street and at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, Eta can have her work lower out to keep away from a tense near the marketing campaign.

Meanwhile, Wolfsburg’s tumultuous season appears to be like set for a troubled end barring a minor miracle from Dieter Hecking – the membership’s third supervisor this time period.

Hecking was appointed again on March 8 after Daniel Bauer He struggled at Volkswagen Arena, though the 61-12 months-outdated has not been capable of flip issues round up to now, dropping three of his first 4 video games in cost.

The boss kicked off his reign with an impressive 1-1 draw against high-flying Hoffenheimhowever a succession of defeats since, together with a dramatic 6-3 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen On April 4, have left the Die Wolfe seventeenth on the desk.

To make issues worse, Wolfsburg have solely accrued 21 factors thus far, an incredibly poor return that has the membership seven factors wanting computerized security, and 4 shy of that includes within the relegation playoff.

With solely 5 video games to play, time is working out for Hecking, and contemplating that the guests have misplaced 5 and drawn two of their away clashes in 2026, they might wrestle on Saturday towards a aspect buoyed by the ‘new supervisor bounce’.

Union Berlin Bundesliga kind:

Wolfsburg Bundesliga kind:

Team News

© Iconsport / DeFodi Images

Union have a comparatively match squad to select from this weekend, though attacking midfielder Jeong Woo-yeong Could miss out resulting from a knock, whereas left winger David Preu is sidelined by way of damage, and left wing-again choice Robert Skov is a doubt with a calf damage.

If not one of the three can be found, Andrej Ilic and Oliver Burke may begin up high, supported from out huge by wing-backs Janik Haberer and Derrick Kohn.

Elsewhere, goalkeeper Matheo Raab stays out after struggling a hand damage, though Frederik Ronnow ought to be prepared to start out behind a again three of Danilho Doekhi, Leopold Querfeld and Diogo Leite.

As for Wolfsburg, they’ve an in depth listing of absentees to deal with on Saturday, particularly in protection, the place they’re lacking middle-backs Cleiton Santos (ankle) and Jenson Seelt (knee), in addition to left-again Rogerio (knee), and proper-again Kilian Fischer (groin).

To fill the gaps, Konstantinos Koulierakis may rejoin Moritz Jenz and Jeanuel Belocian in Hecking’s defensive trio, whereas the returning Sael Kumbedi might begin at proper wing-again, reverse Joakim Maehle on the left.

In midfield, Bence Dardai is out for the season after struggling a cruciate ligament damage, whereas Mattias Svanberg is a doubt with a calf problem.

With that in thoughts, Christian Eriksen and Vinicius Souza look set to function within the middle of the park, platforming a entrance three of Mohamed El Amine Amoura, Dzenan Pejcinovic and Patrick Wimmer, whereas striker Jonas Wind offers with a thigh damage and proper winger Kevin Paredes builds health.

Union Berlin potential beginning lineup:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Leite; Haberer, Schafer, Khedira, Kemlein, Kohn; Ilic, Burke

Wolfsburg potential beginning lineup:

Record; Belocian, Jenz, Koulierakis; Kumbedi, Eriksen, Souza, Maehle; Wimmer, Pejcinovic, Amoura

We say: Union Berlin 2-1 Wolfsburg

Union have struggled for wins in 2026, however with a brand new supervisor on the helm, they might safe a uncommon victory on Saturday.

Wolfsburg will probably be determined to keep away from a fourth consecutive defeat, however whereas they might put up a struggle, something aside from one other loss could be shocking contemplating their kind.

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