Union Berlin: The dream is over (opinion)

OPINION

For three years, the story of Union Berlin literally told itself like a fairy tale: Once upon a time, there was a small, down-to-earth club that moved out of Köpenick to annoy the giants of commercial football. For three years the giants couldn’t defend themselves, for three years the Iron Men always struck at exactly the right moment. For three years (East) Berlin experienced a small football miracle on installments.

Union Berlin: The bright images have given way to gray sadness

Now, in October 2023, the bright images of Union have given way to gray sadness. The team has lost nine competitive games in a row. With the 0-1 defeat against SSC Napoli, the Champions League exit is as good as sealed. And in the past few weeks a word has crept into East Berlin that was actually only known from the Westend in recent years: crisis.

Coach Urs Fischer called what the Iron Men have arrived at “reality.” Knowing full well that his team has played well above their standard in recent years. You could also say: Union is currently experiencing something that they always wanted to prevent: normality.

This folklore in East Berlin that borders on kitsch: sausages that are still grilled on real charcoal, the stadium itself, renovated by fans when big money wasn’t even in sight, the – with all due respect – shouted anthem by Nina Hagen: all of that was and is not normal. Union’s sporting career is.

There are things in football that almost certainly repeat themselves regularly: Bayern become champions, the promoted team one year is the relegated team the next. And then there is this story of a team that no one has on the list at the beginning of a season, but which marches through – sometimes to the championship title – only to then crash mercilessly the following year, at least internationally.

This is what happened to VfB Stuttgart after winning the championship in 2007, as did VfL Wolfsburg two years later. This is what happened to Borussia Dortmund after winning the title in 2011 or to TSG Hoffenheim after a third place in 2018. Now Union also seems to be joining in with this chorus.

The earnings crisis has long been a performance crisis

Köpenicker’s earnings crisis has long since developed into a performance crisis. Games that were in the balance and that the Iron Men were still able to win with stoic calm last season are now lost. The run seems to be over. The dream of being able to play in the concert of the greats without a lot of resources is over.

The game against Naples offers the best arguments for this. Urs Fischer’s team was stable for a long time, they ran more than their opponents and didn’t actually allow anything. But Giacomo Raspadori’s goal in the 65th minute was like a knockout blow. And it became clear: in the current constitution, the Union lacks the means to fight back. After 90 minutes, the Iron team had a measly shot on goal and the threat of a goal was virtually nil – clearly not enough in the Champions League.

Now you certainly have to see the team’s current low form in relation to the almost unbelievable successes of the last few years. Those in charge certainly don’t really know how they managed to suddenly play against Real Madrid or SSC Napoli. Nevertheless, an impression is currently brewing in Berlin that not only the club, but probably all the traditionalists among the fans don’t like: The small Gallic village of Union Berlin probably has no chance of keeping up with the giants in the long term.