For the last game of 2024, the men's team of 1. FC Union Berlin will travel to SV Werder Bremen on Saturday, 21 December 2024. Kick off in the Bundesliga’s 15th matchday is at 15:30 at the Weser Stadium.

The lie of the land

Werder are riding high as the year draws to a close. A 2-0 win at FC St. Pauli, with goals from Derrick Köhn and Marvin Ducksch, has put Ole Werner's team in good stead.

Union, on the other hand, only managed a point against VfL Bochum last weekend. In an intense home game at the Alte Försterei, Benedict Hollerbach equalised after the visitors from the Ruhr area had taken the lead despite being a man down early in the first half.

The opponents

SVW are currently right on target. With 14 games played, the team from the Osterdeich are in ninth place and are unbeaten in their last three Bundesliga games. A 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart was followed by away wins against Bochum (1-0) and FC St. Pauli (2-0). While Werder were picking up regular points away from home at the start of the season, the team have recently also shown their strength at home, picking up five more from their last three home games and scoring six goals. Their record now stands at six wins, four draws and four defeats, with a goal difference of 22:24. It should be emphasised that offensive all-rounder Marvin Ducksch, with four goals and six assists, has been directly involved in almost half of Bremen's goals.

The north Germans are also doing well in the DFB Pokal. After beating Energie Cottbus, SC Paderborn and SV Darmstadt 98, Bremen are through to the quarter-finals, where they will face surprise 3. Liga package, DSC Arminia Bielefeld.

The head-to-head

There have been nine meetings between 1. FC Union Berlin and SV Werder Bremen so far. Union have the advantage, having won six of these encounters, while Werder have won three. There has not yet been a draw.

The personnel

Union head coach Bo Svensson will have to make do without Kevin Vogt (suspended), Yannic Stein, Oluwaseun Ogbemudia and Wooyeong Jeong for the trip to the Hanseatic city.

The reunions

Kevin Vogt has a Bremen. The centre-back was loaned out to the Weser by TSG 1899 Hoffenheim during the second half of the 2019/20 season and managed to help his team jump from 17th place to the relegation place on the last matchday. There, Vogt and SVW beat 1. FC Heidenheim and avoided relegation.

There are no active players in the current SVW squad with a Union past, however, assistant coach Patrick Kohlmann, who played 175 competitive games for the club between 2008 and 2014, is an old acquaintance in Köpenick.

The coaches’ views ahead of the game

“Bremen have won their last two away games, progressed in the cup and look stable,” said Union’s head coach, Bo Svensson, during his regular press conference on Thursday afternoon. “The team are harmonious and play good football. “There is always a good atmosphere in the Weserstadion, but our focus is on us and on performing to the best of our ability.”

“Nothing will fall at our feet, we have to approach the task with full concentration,” was Svensson’s opposite number, Ole Werner’s assessment of the game, meanwhile. “It's about building on the last results. Union will be a tough opponent, who bring a lot of experience to the pitch.”

Service information

More than 4,000 Union fans will travel to Bremen for the away game. The Union mobile Zeughaus will also be there. Information on visiting the stadium can be found here (German).

The game will be broadcast live on Sky. There will also be an audio stream on rbb24 Inforadio and on rbb24. As usual, Union will also provide information on the game via the club's live ticker, as well as offering live updates in English and Spanish on Twitter