Union Berlin is back in action at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei on Saturday March 17 for the second part of a home double header. SSV Jahn Regensburg are the visitors, a side that Union dispatched of 2-0 on the road earlier in the season.

Andre Hofschneider’s men will hope to put the draw to Erzgebirge Aue behind them and seize the momentum of a new playing surface in Köpenick. The head coach and his training staff are delighted with the grass laid down over the past week after some difficulties in recent matches. It should, he explained, allow Union to maximise its possession-based game on the weekend.

It’s the second home game in succession following defeat again on the road in Kaiserslautern. Remarkably, Union’s last victory away from Berlin was against Regensburg in the middle of October. The Köpenick side have won five from eight meetings with Regensburg, but the opponents have shown their quality enough times this season. “Regensburg are currently on a run,” said the coach.

“The team from Regensburg plays many long balls, often going into duels,” said Hofschneider, who has worked on a number of different tactics in training this week to counter the strengths of the opposition. “They quickly bridge the space in midfield and try to keep the danger far away from their own goal. For us it is a game we want to win and we have the opportunity to win. But we also know that nothing is given to us. We're facing a strong opponent who has nothing to lose here."

There is little change on the selection front for Hofschneider with Michael Parensen, Sebastian Polter Fabian Schönheim and Kenny-Prince Redondo out injured. Simon Hedlund has trained a couple of times this week, but his fitness situation is still not clear.

There are still places available for the meeting in the home block as well as in the away section. The stadium gates are open at 11:30 – 90 minutes before kick off on Saturday.