On Friday March 8, 1. FC Union Berlin return to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei and host FC Ingolstadt in the 2.Bundesliga.

The match sees a first return to Köpenick for former coach Jens Keller, who was in charge for 54 Union games before leaving in December 2017.

Review: Impressive win in Kiel, Ingolstadt fall short at home

1. FC Union Berlin gave a clear statement of intent last Friday, with a dominating 2-0 win over Holstein Kiel. Felix Kroos returned to the side and scored an excellent goal before the interval. Union defended with great concentration and organisation, later wrapping up the points with Sebastian Andersson’s ninth goal of the league season. When asked why the Swede continues to score despite limited opportunities, Fischer answered: “Because he works extremely hard. He always gets into positions where he is dangerous, which has to do with work and conviction. Then the instinct kicks in, a striker has to possess that. But he’s also rewarded as he’s involved in the game.”

Meanwhile, Ingolstadt are three points off safety, but have shown an upturn in performances since Keller’s appointment. Though they turned in more resolute and strong performances, the relegation-threatened team went down 2-1 at home to 1. FC Köln and lost 1-0 at FC St. Pauli. Both of Keller’s wins in charge have come on the road, at Erzgebirge Aue and Greuther Fürth. “Ingolstadt are in a good way and always find solutions. They have individuals who can win games and make the difference. They have a balance between long balls and more considered football. We need to find a good box, put pressure on the ball and be strong in challenges,” added Fischer.

Record: Ingolstadt’s recent record at Union is consistent

The club from Bavaria played two seasons in the Bundesliga between 2015 and 2017 following a five-year stint in the second division. The only encounter since their relegation was a 2-1 defeat for the Köpenick club in December 2017. Union’s last victory over Ingolstadt came in September 2011, a 4-1 triumph with strikes from Christian Stuff, Torsten Mattuschka and a double from Carlos Silvio.

Personnel: Competition for places

Fischer admitted that picking his 18-man squad for matches is just as hard as the starting line-up given the level of competition in the group. There are only two fitness concerns, with Sebastian Polter ruled out still for the near future. Defender Michael Parensen came back this week, but was hit strongly by his illness so will need more time to get up to speed.

Tickets: Ingolstadt return allocation

With the away side unable to fill up the visiting section, the club has decided to make more tickets available for home fans. They can be purchased from the usual outlets, including online. Please note that tickets can no longer be dispatched by post and we would recommend that they are collected before matchday.