For those who don’t know, Union Berlin are a fascinating club. They play in a forest, their ground is 75% terracing and was built by the fans, and they’ve weathered countless political, financial and legal sagas in their 56 year history.

But now that Union have found themselves pushed into the limelight of the Bundesliga, their intriguing history has been well documented. But, despite the tribulations of the past, Union Berlin are an established Bundesliga side with one of the lowest budgets in the division.

Die Eiserne now look ahead to their fourth season in the first tier, and their second in as many seasons in Europe. This is the story of their incredible rise over the last three years, and how they keep managing to upset the Bundesliga elite.

Picture the scene: It’s May 2019. Union Berlin miss out on automatic promotion to Paderborn on goal difference. A two legged relegation play off against 16th placed Bundesliga side, VfB Stuttgart awaited. This was a tie that had only ever been won twice by a Bundesliga 2 side: Nürnberg in 2009, and Dusseldorf in 2012. A 2-2 draw in Stuttgart, and a 0-0 draw in Berlin meant die Eiserne had done it on away goals, they would be in the Bundesliga for the first time ever.

Once the dust had settled, and hangovers cured, the next step was bigger than any other. Staying there. They’d go in as favourites to go straight back down, and with the sole focus on keeping their head above water, Union assembled a rag tag group.

With veterans such as Neven Subotic, Christian Gentner and Yunus Malli, players from lower divisions such as Marius Bulter and Robert Andrich, alongside club legends such as Christopher Trimmel and Felix Kroos. And surprisingly, it worked. Union finished a comfortable 11^th, but more notably they’d created an identity: a solid defence, a clinical attack, an incredible work rate, and a disciplined system that was very difficult to break down.

As expected with their shoestring budget, the phrase second season syndrome was thrown about going into 20/21. After top scorer Sebastien Andersson left for Koln, the expectation had merit. However, furthering their doctrine of signing experience, the surprise coup of Max Kruse to Kopenick showed Union’s intent. Sticking to their 3 at the back system, and with a team top of the distance covered charts every week, Union recorded home wins against Dortmund, Leipzig and Leverkusen, and the Stadion An der Alten Forsterei became somewhat of a fortress.

A stoppage time winner at home to RB Leipzig from Max Kruse meant Union pipped European stalwarts Monchengladbach to seventh, but more importantly, made the inaugural Europa Conference League’s qualifying rounds. And after a 4-0 win on aggregate over Finnish side Kuopion Palloseura, Union were in Europe.

It would be a tough act follow for Die Eiserne, and with crucial players Andrich and Friedrich leaving in the summer, once again, they didn’t look like anything special coming into 2021/22. As usual they looked towards experience and cast aways: With veterans Rani Khedira and Bastian Oczipka coming to Kopenick, and Taiwo Awoniyi signing on a permanent from Liverpool.

Union’s European tour started in a bad way, after being forced to play at Hertha Berlin’s, Olympiastadion, due to UEFA ground regulations, tied with a loss away to Slavia Prague in their opening game. A win against Maccabi Tel Aviv in Charlottenburg inflated hopes, but back to back losses to Feyenoord quickly scuppered them, and largely put things out of their hands. Union did everything they could with a win and a draw against Maccabi, and Slavia respectively, but it wasn’t enough. They’d fought valiantly, finishing just a point outside the green, but the European dream was over.

Things were very different in the league however, with consistent results, and a mere four losses in the league all season, things were looking rather positive for Union going into February. It seemed right on cue that it would all go wrong, as star player Max Kruse decided on a shock return to Wolfsburg, leaving Union up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Almost immediately results turned sour, with five losses from seven almost straight after.

All of a sudden though things clicked. Union won a very close affair against Koln, then thumped Hertha 4-1 in their own back yard. Then they won again, and again. A heart-breaking last minute loss to Leipzig in the DFB Pokal semi-final, and a draw against an already relegated Gruether Furth, put a slight spanner in the works.

But a 4-1 demolition of fellow European contenders Freiburg in the season’s penultimate game guaranteed Europe for die Eiserne. With a 3-2 home win to Bochum in the final game, Union finished 5^th, only a point shy of getting Champions League. Despite another season of having their squad cherry picked, Union would be in Europe again, and this time they’d gone one better.

Union had made another big statement. Tipped for relegation or mid table mediocrity at best for the last three seasons. It wasn’t fluke and it wasn’t luck. So just how did they do it? With their best players taken each season, and a budget smaller than several second division teams. That would be down to manager Urs Fischer and his genius 3-1-4-2 system.

Fischer is a master of adaptation. He won’t change his system to match superior opposition, like many would, he instead makes certain tweaks to exploit them. Players will press out of their position, and they’ll never press for the sake of it. Meaning Union will rarely find themselves vulnerable. Their system enables many options for ball playing, they play it short ideally, but with the big target men in Awoniyi, Voglsammer or Kruse up front they can go long.

At the back they hold an extremely narrow deep sitting back three. They look to keep possession outside the box, forcing the opposition into unprogressive sideways passes, proving very frustrating for attacking sides, such as RB Leipzig, whom Union beat both home and away last season.

Union love to play out from the back in their notorious 3-1-4-2. With ball playing centre halves in Baumgartl and Jaeckel and Knoche being the anchor. They move the ball quickly, and play short, but possess the ability and options to punt it long if need be.

Often the back three try to find the wing backs: club captain Christopher Trimmel and Nico Giesselmann, both of whom have fantastic creative abilities. They both look to play the ball into the box for the strikers to latch onto, or the 2 attacking midfielders to make a late run onto, with Grischa Promel being an expert at this, getting 8 goals last campaign. They waste no time going forwards, and unsurprisingly they have the one of the lowest possession averages in the division.

Their midfield three are well drilled, with Rani Khedira sitting in defensive midfield, sometimes dropping in centre half to cover for the progressive Timo Baumgartl, it gives the rest of the midfield freedom. Whether it be Grischa Promel, Genki Haraguchi, or Sheraldo Becker on occasion, they have a license to run at the opposition defence, and arrive late into the box to latch onto balls from the wing backs, and sometimes drifting wide to offer added width to the system.

And up top Union like to go with the two traditional strikers. Whether it be the natural goalscoring abilities of Max Kruse, the finishing and work rate of Taiwo Awoniyi, the areal threat of Andres Voglsammer or the sheer pace and desire to run of Sheraldo Becker. They look to be a nuisance for defenders, with Becker and Awoniyi becoming a real handful in the final run in. They come back and assist the defence, and work hard unlike a lot of traditional strikers. This complemented with the fantastically choreographed set pieces, and dead ball talents of Christopher Trimmel, made Union into one of the least wasteful sides in the league.

All in all Union Berlin are a fantastic example of a sum greater than its parts. They play calculated, quick football, they’re adaptive and clinical, and they work tremendously hard. Union Berlin are an exceptional side, who deserve to be in Europe, and will continue to upset the Bundesliga elite for some time to come.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/columns}
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/coluumn
[/columns]

Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images

On the 31st August 2015, Liverpool signed 18 year old Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi for £400,000 after he impressed for Nigeria’s imperial soccer academy.

Five years, seven loans and 29 goals later, Awoniyi finds himself in the Bundesliga for cult side, Union Berlin. A club that when Awoniyi signed for Liverpool, had recently finished seventh in the second tier of German football.

With an iconic promotion, followed by hard-fought survival in their maiden Bundesliga season, the side from the capital are now conquering the division and gaining points off of the giants of the Bundesliga, in their second season. 

At the beginning of the season, Union’s attack was integrated around new signing, 32 year old Max Kruse, who sat behind Awoniyi. An amalgamation of impressive goal scoring, converting defence into attack and a few long-range strikes from the Bundesliga veteran guided Union to clinching points and rising to the heights of the Champions League qualification places.

However, the side’s season took a powerful jolt, as Kruse picked up a knee injury at the dawn of December. This left the side looking for someone to position their team around, as their main man looked to be out for two months.

This acted as an opportunity for Taiwo Awoniyi to become the centrepiece of a performing side in one of Europe’s top leagues, contrasting to previous opportunities at Mainz in the previous season where he scored one goal in a dozen cameo appearances. Unfortunately, he ended his campaign, being stretchered off with severe concussion in a 1-0 loss to Augsburg.

His first goal for Union illustrates his play style perfectly. It came in a 2-1 win over Cologne, in November. His ability is centered around his power and his best asset, his hold up play. In the goal, Awoniyi shrugs off two Cologne defenders with ease and ferociously cannons it past Timo Horn, the Cologne goalkeeper, perfectly placing it into the bottom corner.

This further highlighted his brute force, shown from a young age in the African U20 championships, with a Goal article from the time saying he “terrified defences with his physicality” and that he was drawing comparisons to Rashidi Yenkini, the top all time goalscorer for Nigeria. 

He continued as he started after his goal against Cologne, with a strike against city rivals Hertha  and a powerful free header finished with aplomb against Stuttgart. He led the team to an landmark victory over Borussia Dortmund, without Max Kruse, opening the scoring using expert positioning to use his head to divert a team mate’s header goalward. 

This led to a Union win that stunned the league as they continued accelerating up the table. He added another with yet another fantastic use of positioning to find himself space to prod in a delicate finish against Werder Bremen in a 2-0 win. As the season progresses, Awoniyi finds himself with five goals and two assists, providing creative build-up play as well, and he is certain to add to the total as the season develops.

His use of his physicality, combined with his power in his shot and good positioning, merge to  create a fantastic footballer with a unique combination of skills who could prove a useful player for Liverpool. Especially as a possible replacement for Roberto Firmino.

Awoniyi is a less skilful player than the Brazillian but fits the build of a defensive striker and speaks eloquently in interviews about his love and admiration for the Merseyside club. Firmino also has received criticism as of late for a lack of goalscoring and has led to him being dropped by Jurgen Klopp.

During Klopp’s management it is shown that the German is a fan of strikers ripe with good positional sense who can finish with sheer power as shown in Firmino, Lewandowski and even Divock Origi who is another player that Awoniyi could replace in the squad at Liverpool.

It is believed that Awoniyi does obtain many of the abilities shown in these players at his young age. However, time is of the essence and this decision would have to come in the next few seasons from Klopp or Awoniyi could become wasted potential, cursed with constant loans abroad from a Premier League side such as that of Lucas Piazon at Chelsea.

The remainder of the season will certainly be an interesting opportunity for Awoniyi as he attempts to impress Klopp and implement himself into a top side or he continues to impress Union Berlin leading to a possible permanent transfer.

Overall, his recent performances demonstrate his impressive physicality and power that give him the tools to become a top goal scorer and creative attacker. He is certainly a player to follow with keen interest over the next few years and we could just witness a player take their game to the next level and become a great. 

Having not lost since the first game of the season after a 3-1 home defeat to Augsburg, Urs Fischer’s side have only conceded five goals since. Meanwhile, Hertha find themselves only three points off of the relegation play-offs having conceded 18 goals so far this season.

The key to Union’s success so far this year has been in 32-year-old forward, Max Kruse, who signed on a free transfer. Kruse has recorded nine G/A so far, contributing to 50 percent of ‘Die Eisernen’s’ goals.

In their first ever season of Bundesliga football, Union finished in 11^th place following their relegation play-off promotion in what was arguably the most important 1-1 draw in the club’s history. Now just into their second year of top-flight football, Fischer’s side are the cool kids on the block, with a miniscule budget and an immense fan culture around the club.

However, on the West side of Berlin this is a different story, Hertha have spent a total of 37 seasons in the Bundesliga albeit not consecutively. Hertha last suffered relegation to the 2. Bundesliga in 2012 in which they only spent one season in the second tier of German football.

Herthaner are deemed to be the wealthiest club in Berlin, which is seen in their net spends. Union Berlin in this summer window had a net profit of £3 million compared to their rival’s loss of over £20 million in only one transfer window.

The key to Die Rote und Weiss’ success recently is due to the work ethic of the players and their style of ‘punk rock’ football. Union are a side that take great pride in tradition; living off of passion and emotions which is shown in their style of play. As well as this, a solid defence has been the lime light at the Stadion An Der Alten Försterei, with Marvin Friedrich and Robin Knoche at the heart of defence and a safe pair of hands in Andreas Luthe.

Whilst finding themselves in a positive position, it’s of great importance Fischer’s men don’t get complacent. Union Berlin face a tricky five games as the Bundesliga coasts into December in which they’ll face Hertha, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund before hosting Paderbon in the DFB-Pokal ahead of the winter break.

A top half finish would have seemed absurd for Union fans to dream of, but if their fine form continues it isn’t an impossible task, which will see them become Berlin’s top footballing side if Hertha continue to languish in the low end of the Bundesliga despite their big spending habits.

Fischer spoke up upon Union’s recent success in a press conference prior to their away win at Cologne.

“The team of Union has changed. We had a good pre-season, especially with a full squad… We’ve improved our play with the ball, we can’t get complacent”

The Coronavirus pandemic has had detrimental affects on all clubs across the world, due to COVID-19 there have been no fans allowed in ‘elite’ sports stadiums. A key driving point behind Union Berlin is there fan base, a die-hard culture surrounds the club and with a lack of that you’d have thought it would hinder the club.

Since the start of the 2020/21 season, fans within the Bundesliga have been permitted, however at a much-reduced capacity, allowing for supporters of Union Berlin see their team strive for success in the top flight as they look to cement themselves as Berlin’s number one footballing side.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/columns}
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/coluumn
[/columns]

Union piled the pressure on in the early minutes of the match. Marius Bulter’s ball into the box found Yunus Malli, but hit his shot was straight at ‘keeper Alexander Nübel.

Union would find the breakthrough in the 11th minute. Juan Miranda was disposessed by Anthony Ujah in the middle of the park, he played a slick pass to Robert Andrich, who slotted home his first Bundesliga goal.

There was further catastrophic defending from Die Knappen in the opening 25 minutes which Union didn’t take advantage of. Ujah was found unmarked in the middle, but was denied once again by Nübel.

Union no doubt rued their chances as moments after their chance to go 2-0 up, Schalke were on level terms. On-loan Everton right-back, Jonjoe Kenny surged forward with the ball and rifled his shot into the bottom from 25 yards.

This proved to be Schalke’s only shot on target in the entire match. But with ten minutes to go they could have won it. Ahmed Kutucu drove down the flanks and fired his cross across the area to Michael Gregoritsch, who was unable to convert.

Urs Fischer’s side also missed two great chances with five minutes to spare. Firstly, Marvin Friedrich’s curler deflected wide. Then from the following corner, Nübel made an excellent save from close range, which helped Schalke hold on for the point.

The point for the home side edges them closer to a second successive season in the German top flight, but no doubt Union could have felt that this was two points dropped, and a real opportunity pick up their first win in eight matches.

Still huge problems for Schalke

Rabbi Matondo and Benito Raman were substituted, after picking up knocks in the second 45. No doubt the Schalke supporters will be hoping they don’t add to their already large injury list.

Though Schalke ended their losing streak, they still remain without a win in 12 matches, and were unable to move themselves out of the bottom half.

But it was a positive performance for their shotstopper Nübel, who kept out three of Union’s five shots on target. The former Germany under-21 is joining Bayern Munich on a free transfer at the end of the season.

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[/columns]

Union have lost three of their last four matches. Including defeats to runaway leaders, Bayern, a humiliating 4-0 defeat against Berlin rivals, Hertha, and a 4-1 defeat at Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend.

Union’s last victory came back in February, in a 2-1 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt. However, that even remains their only win in their last 12 games, and now find themselves treading on water, just three points clear of 16th, Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Die Eisermann will be turning to their top scorer Sebastian Andersson this weekend. The striker has netted on 12 ocassions this season, the fourth-highest in the Bundesliga.

Schalke have been no better than their counterparts. Without a win in 11 matches, David Wagner’s side have nosedived down the Bundesliga, going from top four hopefuls, to near enough out of contention for a European place.

The visitors suffered a 1-0 home defeat to relegation threatened Werder Bremen last weekend. That was preceded by a 2-1 at Fortuna, which has seen boss Wagner called into question.

But both sides will be hoping to make things right when these two face off on Sunday afternoon.

Victory for the hosts could put clear daylight between them and the bottom three. While a win for Schalke could move them back into the top half of the table.

Match Facts

Union Berlin and FC Schalke have only met once in Germany’s top flight. That was in the reverse fixture, back in November.

Schalke came out on top in the match. Suat Serdar’s goal four minutes from time gave Die Knappen, a 2-1 win.

Team news

For Union Berlin – Sheraldo Becker is out with a thigh problem, Julian Ryerson is out with a knee injury, while former QPR striker Sebastian Polter is not included in the squad. Akaki Gogia is a doubt due to fitness.

For FC Schalke – Knee injuries has kept November’s match winner Serdar out, as well as Jean-Clair Todibo. Omar Mascarell has a groin problem, Amine Harit has ligament damage, and Weston McKennie is suspended.

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[/columns]

Marco Rose’s men looked to bounce back after their midweek draw to Werder Bremen, Union also drawed with Mainz in their last fixture.

Florian Neuhaus’ effort from the halfway line almost caught Union Berlin goalkeeper Rafał Gikiewicz unaware early on as the Prussians started with a high-tempo press on Union’s backline.

Gladbach’s persistence was rewarded when Neuhaus picked up the ball on the edge of the area in the 17th minute. The German faked to shoot and dribbled into the area as he fired a low shot towards goal which rebounded off the left post and trickled over the line.  

The goal was Gladbach’s 3,000th in the Bundesliga and at that moment in time sent them to third in the table, above Bayer Leverkusen on goal difference.

Patrick Herrmann, making his 267 Bundesliga appearance for Gladbach, was then denied by a superb tackle by Neven Subotic when through on goal as the Foals seemed a level above their opponents.

The advantage was doubled four minutes before the break. Running into the area, Plea spotted his strike partner Thuram free in the area. A perfect lofted cross found the 22-year-old Frenchman, who confidently headed home for a two-goal cushion.

Union Berlin’s main threat this season has arrived from the set-pieces of Christopher Trimmel and so it proved once more five minutes into the second period. The Austrian’s floated ball was inadvertently deflected into the path of top scorer Sebastian Andersson, who steered a header past Yann Sommer to bring Union back into the contest.

Herrmann almost had the perfect response when he rounded Gikiewicz but could only find the side-netting before Ramy Bensebaini’s free-kick went close for the hosts. 

The two-goal lead was eventually restored and it was Plea to Thuram again. Grischa Prömel was robbed of possession deep in his own half by Jonas Hofmann, the German laid the ball to Plea who found his striker partner at the back post and tapped the ball into the back of the net. 

Urs Fischer’s men continued to show spirit and determination in the match but their efforts from range failed to trouble Sommer.

Despite their best efforts, Gladbach wrapped up their victory with about ten minutes to go through Plea. Full-back Bensebaini’s cross found the Frenchman in the area and the striker expertly helped the ball into the far corner to make it double figures for him in the Bundesliga this season.

The 4-1 win lifts Gladbach to 56 points, Union now just four points above the drop zone.

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[/columns]

The first half of the game, although dominated by the home team, reaped no dividends for them as they struggled to the breakdown the opposition’s defence.  Union Berlin constantly disrupted any rhythm that Hertha attempted to build, with feisty tackles and clear organisation in defence.

The first big chance of the game fell to Lukebakio in the 17^th minute, when Vedad Ibisevic flicked on a goal-kick into the path of the Belgian. His shot, however, was straight at the keeper Rafal Gikiewicz, who made himself big just as Dodi Lukebakio was about to pull the trigger.

Matheus Cunha was Hertha’s brightest player in the first half as he was constantly looking to get on to the ball and create opportunities. He had two great chances, the first one being a flick from close range which was parried away by Gikiewicz after marvellous build-up play on the right-hand side of play. The second one was a sweet shot from the right side of the box, this too though was straight at the keeper.

Union Berlin did not have a single shot on target in the first half,  and their only clear chance was Robert Andrich’s free-kick from 25 yards out, which went just over the crossbar.

After the break, Hertha continued to assert their dominance, and they broke the deadlock in the 51^st minute when Ibisevic headed home after Marvin Plattenhardt whipped in a beautiful cross from the left-hand side.

Union looked to draw level immediately but, their attempt was in vain as their long ball straight from kick-off came to nothing, ultimately giving possession to Ibisevic who slid in a fine through ball to Lukebakio, who rounded the keeper and calmly passed the goal into the back of the net.

Hertha Berlin’s star of the first half, Cunha didn’t take long to get on the scoresheet. Just 9 minutes after Lukebakio made it 2-0, Cunha slotted the ball into the back of the net with a great finesse shot from the edge of the box, meaning he has now scored in each of his last four games in the Bundesliga.

To pile on to Union Berlin’s misery, Dedryck Boyata made it 4-0 from a corner where Union Berlin’s man-marking was all over the place. This is probably what discredited everything Union Berlin did in the first half after all their resilient defending, poor organisation is a silly excuse for conceding a goal.

Hertha Berlin now climb one position in the table as they find themselves tenth. Whereas, Union Berlin who sit 12^th, have played at least one game more than the four immediate teams below them leaving them vulnerable to moving lower down the table.

Lineups

Hertha Berlin: Jargstein, Pekarik, Boyata, Jordan, Marvin, Darida (Maier 80’), Grujic, Skjelbred (Samardzic 81’), Cunha (Mittelstadt 66’), Lukebakio (Dilrosun 75’), Ibisevic (Piatek 75’).

Union Berlin: Gikiewicz, Friedrich, Hübner, Parensen, Trimmel, Andrich (Kroos 72’), Prömel, Reichel (Ryerson 63’), Ingvartsen (Ujah 57’), Andersson (Polter 72’), Bülter (Malli 63’).

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”1072″ heading=”News” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[/columns]

In the first meeting between the two teams at An der Alten Försterei, Sebastien Polter’s second half penalty sealed a famous win in the first ever Bundesliga Berlin derby.

Union have only won three times on the road this season however, having acquired 19 of their 30 points in front of their passionate fanbase.

Hertha will be full of confidence heading into the fixture after their 3-0 dispatching of Hoffenheim last weekend, veteran striker Vedad Ibisevic, who scored in the win, likely to battle with Krzysztof Piatek for the starting berth up front. 

Union have never lost in their visits to the Olympiastadion (one win, one draw) and have scored in all five of the Berlin derbies these two teams have contested.

They will most likely recall top scorer Sebastian Andersson (11 goals) to the starting 11, the Swede only deemed fit enough for the bench in Union’s 2-0 loss to Bayern last weekend. 

Team News 

Urs Fischer’s men will be without Keven Schlotterbeck for the fixture through suspension whilst Sheraldo Backer and Akaki Gogia are also doubts for the visitors from across the capital.

Salomon Kalou remains to be left out of the Hertha squad after breaching coronavirus social-distancing rules. Karim Rekik remains out with a knee injury whilst Marius Wolf is a doubt with an ankle injury.

[columns] [column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”52″ heading=”Germany” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column] [column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column] [/columns]

Their glee was echoing throughout the stadium in a way that might be eerie except instead of a silenced home crowd, it was an empty cavern where voices echoed off the walls. Signs of how even this league known for fan involvement will have a long road before the turnstiles will chime again.

Of the nine matches played in the restart of the Bundesliga, there was only one team that won on their home turf, Borussia Dortmund. The home crowd impact dashed like water on a rocky shore. Covid-19’s impact on the matchday atmosphere which can bolster a team was immensely felt.

It is a stark reminder of what is lost while having matches take place. Stadiums like Stadion An der Alten Fosteri and Commerzbank Arena are known for their fan ferocity that has little equal around the globe. Each stadium had its team face perceived stronger opposition and fail. In other cases with full stadiums, one if not both of these results, 2-0 and 3-1 respectively, could have been different. Such is the impact of the fan environment within Germany and specifically at these stadia.

Why not wait until health officials say it is safe to return?

With each country having reacted to the Covid-19 pandemic in different fashion and no cure available, it would seem that until full populace inoculation, fans will not be in stadiums for many months to come.

So why come back now?

In the Bundesliga, and the Bundesliga 2, TV companies that pay for the rights fees for the agreed TV contract had yet to pay out the final installment for this season. While this isn’t breaking every team, multiple teams in the Bundesliga and close to half of the second division, as the TV deal for the two leagues is tied together, would need to declare bankruptcy.

During this time that no matches were being played players we continuing to get paid. With no last TV money installment and no matchday revenue, this was something that clubs would not be able to endue for too long.

For now, this current situation will mean that the TV money paid out is able to help clubs limp along to finish out the season where they will then receive payouts from the league per their finish within the leagues and of course the benefits should they earn promotion to next seasons Bundesliga.

This is something that every league will need to navigate. Some, such as Scotland, Netherlands, Belgium, and France, have called an end to the season. Others have merely postponed with hopes of resuming when local conditions are better, that and looking directly at Germany for how the Bundesliga handles the resumption of the league season.

Everyone at this point who has not called an end is admitting that they are merely unable to do so due to money from TV companies. That and figuring out who would represent the respective nations in UEFA competitions, which brings to those clubs more money.

So far, Dynamo Dresden has had the only substantial outbreak within a squad. They have been ordered a 14-day hard quarantine, and after one week of matches across the divisions things were weird as people adjust to the new situation.

After all, the players are human like the staff and the fans now watching on TV’s and streaming devices. They must have been desperate to return to the manner of their employment that in some cases they have spent more time in their life than in any other venture.

While it will be weird making the adjustment to no live matchday atmosphere to be sure, humans being the social creatures that they are will be able to adapt to these new restrictions and be able to make the best of it until things might be able to return to what they were before Covid-19

[columns] [column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”52″ heading=”Germany” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column] [column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”131″ heading=”Bundesliga” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column] [/columns]