Followng the resumption of first team training on Tuesday, the players of 1. FC Union Berlin face their first testof the new year this coming Saturday when Nenad Bjelica's team face DSC Arminia Bielefeld. Kick off at the Alte Försterei is at 15:30.

The opponents

Bielefeld celebrated their return to the Bundesliga in the spring of 2020 after an eleven-year absence under the auspices of former Union head-coach Uwe Neuhaus. His successor, Frank Kramer, intially managed to keep them in the top flight but things went rapidly downhill in the following years. If 2022's relegation to the 2. Liga was bad enough, it was followed by another, to the 3. Liga, a year later after losing the relegation play-off against SV Wehen Wiesbaden. Current Union striker Benedict Hollerbach scored three goals in the two games for the Hessians.

Former centre-back Michél Kniat then took over as coach from Uwe Koschinat, celebrating his first success a few weeks after taking up the post when his team surprisingly defeated Bundesliga club VfL Bochum on penalties in the first round of the DFB Pokal. In the league, however, his team initially struggled with a lack of consistency.

Spectacular victories such as the 4-0 in the derby against Preußen Münster were offset by heavy defeats (a 6-2 loss at home to 1. FC Saarbrücken being a case in point.) Arminia have, however, stabilised of late, losing only twice in their last eleven games, finding them 14th in the table with 25 points.

Bielefeld's top scorer this season is once again club legend Fabian Klos with eight goals as well as four assists to his name. The striker has worn the blue shirt since 2011, playing 444 competitive matches in that time, and remaining loyal to his club even after relegation to the third division.

"I am convinced that I can still give a lot to our new team and the club in sporting terms," he said at the time of his decision.

Service information

Tickets for Saturday's game are available online at a price of €8 or €15. Children up to the age of 12 are admitted free of charge, but require a corresponding free ticket. Anyone wishing to purchase tickets at short notice on match day can do so from 14:00 at the open ticket offices at the An der Alten Försterei stadium.