Bayer Leverkusen aims to prolong its impressive seven-match undefeated streak as they face Union Berlin this Saturday at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
| Photo by Christof Koepsel/Getty Images |
Union Berlin
Union Berlin remains without a victory in 2026, having failed to secure a win in any of their seven Bundesliga fixtures since the new year began (four draws, three losses). Furthermore, Steffen Baumgart’s squad has suffered three defeats in their last four outings, notably a 3-2 away loss to Hamburg last Saturday. This dismal run has seen Union descend into the lower half of the standings, though they maintain a comfortable six-point cushion above the relegation zone.
They are eager to secure their initial league triumph since December in this Saturday’s home encounter, a challenging feat considering they haven’t bested Leverkusen since a 1-0 win in January 2021. The opening goal might prove crucial for Union’s prospects, as they’ve yet to win any of the eleven Bundesliga matches this season where they’ve conceded first (four draws, seven losses).
Team News
Union will be without Diogo Leite, Tom Roth, Josip Juranović, and Robert Skov for this fixture.
Predicted lineup: Rønnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki; Haberer, Khedira, Kemlein, Köhn; Jeong, Burke; Ilić
Bayer Leverkusen
Conversely, Leverkusen approaches the weekend with considerable momentum, having triumphed in six of their last seven competitive fixtures (one draw), including their most recent two. Kasper Hjulmand’s squad decisively won 4-0 against St. Pauli in their Bundesliga home game last Saturday, then secured a 2-0 win in their Europa League fixture against Olympiacos on Thursday. Patrik Schick’s rapid double strike places Leverkusen in a commanding position for their knockout phase playoff tie before next week’s second leg at the BayArena.
Although the second leg might be a consideration, Leverkusen’s immediate attention will shift back to their pursuit of Champions League qualification. Currently, Leverkusen occupies sixth place, trailing the top four by three points, having accumulated 12 wins, three draws, and six losses from their 21 league games this season.
They are likely confident in securing all three points from Saturday’s match, given their record of four wins in their last five encounters with Union, which includes a 2-0 triumph in the reverse fixture in October.
Team News
Goalkeeper Mark Flekken is still out due to a knee injury. Additionally, Eliesse Ben Seghir and Nathan Tella are unavailable, suffering from ankle and foot injuries, respectively.
Predicted lineup: Blaswich; Quansah, Badé, Tapsoba; Arthur, Fernández, García, Grimaldo; Tillman, Terrier; Kofane