Union, Cologne, Bochum or Mainz? The four-way battle in the relegation race is entering its final round. After years of continuous success, the Berliners could be reaching their absolute lowest point.
For their emotional motivational speech before the relegation final, the club management of 1. FC Union Berlin chose an almost kitschy location. Directly on the Spree, manager Oliver Ruhnert and captain Christopher Trimmel got the entire team, president Dirk Zingler and club employees in the mood for the decisive game against SC Freiburg on Saturday (3.30 p.m./Sky). “At Union it only works together,” everyone involved repeated like a mantra, vowing to get ready for the season finale. The phrases from direct competitors from Bochum, Mainz and Cologne sounded similar.
The Union football fairy tale, which began with promotion to the Bundesliga and culminated with qualification for the Champions League last year, has long since become a nightmare. After some bloodless performances, the Iron Men no longer have direct relegation in their own hands. As table 16th. Union (30 points) has to win on Saturday and at the same time hope for a mistake from Mainz (32) or Bochum (33).
Elversberg instead of Real Madrid?
The Berliners are still threatened with direct relegation. Persecutors Cologne are in wait and, after three games without defeat, have their eyes firmly on the relegation spot. “We were actually dead. And suddenly you’re alive again,” said defender Dominique Heintz after the last-minute win against Union on the last matchday. Suddenly there is great confidence at FC again. The prospect of the Rhine derby in the relegation against Fortuna Düsseldorf should provide extra motivation. “The team is positive and full of energy,” said FC coach Timo Schultz as a warning message to the competition.
But Union’s interim coach Marco Grote doesn’t want to be intimidated. “Afraid? I’m not,” replied the 51-year-old. After brilliant Champions League trips to the awe-inspiring Santiago Bernabéu in Madrid, the Unioners are threatened with away trips to Fürth or Elversberg. It would probably be the worst Bundesliga crash in 55 years. The unbridled fall from the premier class to the second division has never happened before. At best, the relegation of 1. FC Nürnberg as German champions 55 years ago would be comparable.
“Invented mercenary warning”
Union is no longer Union. Neither on nor off the pitch. Lifeless performances like against Bayern and wasted victories like the last one in Cologne give little hope of staying in the league. Union’s greed, which had led the club from East Berlin to many victories in the past, seems to have vanished.
There are also an unusually large number of sideshows for Berlin standards. Captain Trimmel and Rani Khedira were forced to react publicly to a media report before the relegation final. He suggested that the leading players had complained about a lack of team spirit among some of their teammates. “As a team, we will not allow ourselves to be driven apart by allegations like this made-up mercenary warning,” Trimmel and Khedira made it clear. Unnecessary unrest that no one in the club can use before the relegation final.
Trimmel’s declaration of loyalty
The only bright spot around the An der Alten Försterei stadium this week was Trimmel’s contract extension. Coach Grote hopes that the Austrian’s declaration of loyalty will provide additional motivation for the team. “Ten years of being a Unioner. There couldn’t be much more of a sign. For him, for all of us, for everyone at Union. A good sign,” said Grote.
Source: Stern
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