The last few days of 2024 gives a chance for a look back on an exciting and eventful 365 days for Union’s men’s team.

Trials and tribulations in the match schedule

25 days had passed when Union’s men’s side returned to Bundesliga action on 13 January. A point in the goalless draw at SC Freiburg in the first competitive game of the year was supposed to be followed by the next points away at 1. FSV Mainz, but the inclement weather and attendant black ice put a stop to that, so a trip to Munich at the record champions followed instead. That ultimately unfortunate 1-0 loss at Bayern was followed a few days later by the same result against Darmstadt, only at home this time it was Union who ran out winners.

A points haul in February

The shortest month was a strenuous one - made more so as it included the rescheduled game against Mainz 05 - as then head coach Nenad Bjelica’s side played five matches in 20 days. Apart from a 2-0 defeat in Leipzig, however, an industrious and stubborn Union collected a further eight points in February. That run of four clean sheets was also the longest of the entire 2023/24 season and saw the team move up the table to 13th place. The win at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim also saw the team, fans and club celebrate the first away win since the second game of the season.

‘If March brings more points, Union will climb the ladder’

With the beginning of spring and the lengthening of the days, Borussia Dortmund brought Union back down to earth at the start of March, their hard-fought-for home record of six matches at the Alte Försterei without also taking a hit. Another 2-0 defeat, this time against the soon-to-be vice-champions, Stuttgart, was followed by a convincing 2-1 win over Werder Bremen.

Even though nobody knew it at the time - with the help of the next point taken against Eintracht Frankfurt, the team worked its way up to 12th place in the table - the celebrations after the Bremen game were to be the last in front of their home crowd for some time.

An April to forget – despite Yorbe Vertessen

Three games later in April, however, the newspapers were reporting an ominous truth. While their competition suddenly found form, and reduced the gap to the bottom, seemingly by the minute, Union were beaten first by the table- toppers from Leverkusen, then by FC Augsburg and finally by FC Bayern. Yorbe Vertessen's goal to make the final score 5-1 against FCB was also the only goal celebration seen in the entire month, and it wasn't until a 0-0 away draw with Gladbach that the long-suffering Unioners got a little consolation.

‘When you think you can't take any more, along comes Janik Haberer’

Three final matches, including two against direct competitors, awaited the Bundesliga pros of 1. FC Union Berlin in May, and the 4-3 loss to a VfL Bochum who had been level on points with Union, marked only the start of an increasingly dramatic few weeks. In front of their home crowd, Nenad Bjelica's players failed to build any momentum, and only reached that final 4-3 scoreline after going both 3-0 and 4-2 down.  

The following week, the drama in the ‘relegation battle’ script reached further highs and, in addition to a lot of new grey hair among all FCU supporters, another low point was reached as, under interim coach, Marco Grote, an early two-goal lead against a viciously determined FC Köln, suddenly became a 3-2 defeat.

For drama, however, Union weren’t done yet as the season concluded in the most spectacular way on the final and conclusive matchday (as has almost become a tradition). Union were hosts to SC Freiburg, who were still in the running for a European ticket, ultimately winning through a never-say-die performance that saw perhaps had a little luck on their side in the end as well. In the most important game since their promotion to the Bundesliga, Union also afforded themselves the luxury of missing two penalties, but had Janik Haberer in their ranks, an attentive, accurate and technically sound striker of the ball on the follow-up. As a result of his 92^nd minute strike, not only Union won 2-1, and with it avoided the relegation play-off due to other results going their way.

A fresh start in the summer!

Supported by the recently appointed director of men’s professional football, Horst Heldt, new head coach Bo Svensson and his team of Babak Keyhanfar, Kristoffer Wichmann and Tijan Njie steered the Bundesliga team into the 2024/25 season. After a few goal and emotion-laden warm-up games, they took charge of their first competitive match in the DFB Pokal, winning away in Greifswald. After a successful August, the following September would have been almost as exciting, but for the (last-minute) defeat in Mönchengladbach.

October without a happy ending

The frustration at the defeat in the Lower Rhine lowlands did not run too deep, however, and any frustration was completely forgotten after the 2-1 home win over. The goal-scoring league debut of home-grown player Aljoscha Kemlein against Holstein Kiel two weeks later only sparked further enthusiasm and was given even more shine by the subsequent away point against up-and-coming Eintracht Frankfurt. While things continued to go well in the league, with Union sitting in fourth place, the focus of everyone involved was now fully trained onto the Bundesliga after the team was knocked out of the DFB Pokal in the second round.

Autumn blues for the Reds

After Arminia Bielefeld had pulled the plug on Svensson's team in the cup tie, not much came together after that. Apart from the 0-0 home draw against SC Freiburg, Union’s players suffered defeats against Bayern, Wolfsburg and last year's top duo of Leverkusen and Stuttgart. The game in Swabia was a particularly bitter pill to swallow, as Union had led by two goals early in the second half.

In the last home game of 2024, Union drew 1-1 with VfL Bochum. Despite the visitors from the Ruhr already being down a man after just over 15 minutes, they surprisingly took the lead. Benedict Hollerbach managed to equalise about ten minutes later, securing a point for Union.

Before the team could say goodbye to the well-deserved Christmas period, SV Werder Bremen was just around the corner - or rather, the Unioners were away from home at the Weser Stadium. Despite the 4-1 defeat in the Hanseatic city, the players and fans showed tireless commitment and fought until the very last second. After the final whistle, however, it was clear that the winter break has come at just the right time.

A new start in 2025

Shortly after Christmas, it was clear that the new year would bring a fresh start. For the coaching team led by head coach Bo Svensson, their time at Union had come to an end. Steffen Baumgart, a former Union captain, is now returning to the Alte Försterei as head coach with Bundesliga experience. Under his leadership, a newly formed coaching team will begin preparing the men's professional team of 1. FC Union Berlin for the continuation of the Bundesliga season on 2 January 2025.