Union Berlin: Coach Urs Fischer warns of Bayer Leverkusen

With five games to go, 1. FC Union Berlin are eight points ahead of upcoming opponent Bayer Leverkusen (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. LIVE on kicker). With another win, the Berliners should have secured at least one more participation in the Europa League. But coach Urs Fischer’s team has been warned, because the Werkself, together with Mainz, are the team of the moment in the German top flight.

“It’s a demanding task. The team is very stable, they act in a disciplined manner – with and without the ball. They have many different players in their ranks with enormous speed. They take the direct route to the goal,” said Fischer, describing the opponent. Both defensive rows had recently allowed little. Nevertheless, he does not necessarily expect a game of patience. “It’s important to be compact. The rest of the defense will be important, so we need small gaps.”

Union can draw on almost everything. Only striker Kevin Behrens, who is currently in excellent form, is missing due to his fifth yellow card. For him, Jordan could move into the starting XI. “Jordan has taken on that role. He’s trying to regain his confidence by provoking closures in training. When he came in, he always tried to push himself to the limit.” But according to the coach, Jamie Leweling or Sven Michel are also alternatives for the starting eleven. “We’ll discuss that in the coaching team,” said Fischer.

In addition, another recently missing actor will probably return to the squad. Andras Schäfer, who had to deal with a foot injury for a long time, was able to increase his intensity in training and, according to Fischer, is an option for the matchday squad. “He’s making progress and can be an issue for the squad.” Probably not for the first eleven, but with his aggressiveness and his courage in tackle behavior, the Hungarian can still be valuable, especially in the final minutes.