Union host Hertha BSC
The season begins with a derby:
On Saturday, 6th August, 2022 1.FC Union Berlin play against Hertha BSC. Kick-off for the first game of the season is at 15:30.
The opposition
Hertha go into 2022/23 with 10 new players, and the hopes of a successful start. Last year they finished 16th. Though after 34 games they were level on points with VfB Stuttgart, due to a worse goal difference they had to play in the relegation playoff to remain in the Bundesliga.
Against the 2.Liga’s third placed Hamburger SV, having lost the first leg at home 1-0, they saved themselves - and their place in the league - away with a 2-0 win.
„We want to be industrious, to use our pace and to bring our own game onto the pitch“, said their new trainer, Sandro Schwarz, looking optimistically towards the new season. The 43 year old from Mainz had previously managed FK Dynamo Moscow through the 2020/21 Premier Liga, ultimately finishing 7th, with 50 points from 30 games.
To prepare for the new Bundesliga Hertha had a training camp in England. They won one of their friendlies against Halifax and Salford 2-1 (1-1), but had to return home after losses in the other two, against Derby County, 1-0, and Nottingham Forest, 3-1.
They then faced a disappointing loss to an Eintracht Braunschweig side, recently promoted to the Bundesliga, being knocked out in the first round of the cup on penalties.
The recent fixtures
1. FC Union Berlin and Hertha BSC met three times last season. Union won all three, one of which being a 3-2 win in the quarter final of the DFB Pokal.
Looking towards the game
Urs Fischer revealed his confidence looking ahead to the derby, as he said in the press conference, “A new season has begun, and once again have the chance to win the first game of it. We are well prepared for this. Sandro Schwarz has a clear vision about how he arranges his team. Hertha are well organised and compact, the hallmarks of the new manager are already clear to see.“
Also Hertha’s new manager is looking forward to the game. “We have analysed the cup game, the two pre-season friendlies, as well as the games from last season, and know we need to be more uncompromising. It’s a fantastic opener against Union, and we won’t think about what comes afterwards, we’ll just train our focus completely on the derby.
The squad
Apart from Timo Baumgartl, who has begun rehabilitation since his cancer diagnosis, the whole squad is match fit.
Matchday information
The match is sold out and will be broadcast live on SKY. As ever, Union will be reporting on the game with a Live-Ticker.
Berlin police have published an open letter with information for fans about the the derby match.
