The second goal conceded at the very last second turned the initially enthusiastic mood about Union Berlin’s first participation in the Champions League into great disappointment. “That was a very bitter defeat. You wonder how much you can take,” said a visibly depressed Union coach Urs Fischer after the late goal to make it 2-3 against SC Braga. As in the 1-0 defeat at Real Madrid two weeks ago, the decisive goal in the first Champions League home game came with the last action of the game. “It’s important to get up even after this blow,” said Fischer.
The 57-year-old Swiss not only has to lift up his team because of the two defeats in the European premier class, but also a team that has now suffered a total of six competitive defeats in a row. Against the Portuguese, Fischer was even happy with the team’s performance, he just missed the right attack in defense.
“Shortly before the break a standard, shortly after the break a standard. We didn’t defend well when we conceded goals. It’s not enough at this level,” said the coach about the goals conceded by Sikou Niakité (41st), Bruma (51st) and in added time by André Castro, in which Fischer missed the assignment of his players: “It’s important to have one Mission to fulfill.”
Fischer: “We had 100% opportunities”
But the offensive players around Sheraldo Becker, who raised hopes of victory with Union’s first goals in the Champions League (30th and 37th minutes), also had to put up with criticism from the coach: “We have numerous opportunities to do more than to score two goals.” Even before the first goals, Union had a few chances and after the 2-2 equalizer “three 100% chances again. And at the end you sit there and ask yourself: why?”
In addition to the sporting errors in the games, one reason is probably the loss of the injured leading players Robin Knoche and Rani Khedira. Even the experienced newcomers Robin Goosens and Leonardo Bonucci cannot make up for their absence because they don’t yet know the procedures exactly and Fischer doesn’t come to practice.
Published/Updated: Recommendations: 1 Published/Updated: , Recommendations: 5 Published/Updated:
“We don’t have time to train at the moment,” said Fischer, also with regard to the game at Borussia Dortmund next Saturday (3:30 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Bundesliga and on Sky). That’s where the next blow threatens, after which Union has to get up again. However, BVB is previously challenged against AC Milan this Wednesday (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on DAZN).
The late goals conceded in the Champions League not only cost Union Berlin possible points, but also a seven-figure sum of money. Instead of getting off to a good start with two points in Group C after two match days, the defeats meant that the Köpenickers were denied a total of 1.86 million euros. The European Football Union UEFA awards 930,000 euros per preliminary round point.
Even if almost two million are missing from the club’s coffers, Union can console itself with additional income. UEFA transferred 15.64 million euros alone to each participating club as an inaugural fee in the European premier class. In addition, the club has opened up another large source of money by moving to the Berlin Olympic Stadium.
While only 22,012 spectators could have cheered on the team in the An der Alten Försterei stadium, 73,445 came to the arena in Westend for Union’s first Champions League home game against Braga on Tuesday. Overall, the three home games against Braga as well as SSC Napoli and Real Madrid bring the Union team additional income in the mid-single-digit million range.
