Yesterday, Thursday, head coach Ailien Poese welcomed the women's team of 1. FC Union Berlin back to the start of training in 2023. After a three-and-a-half-week break, were put straight back to work on the pitch at the Alte Försterei. After the warm-up, the focus was on getting used to the ball again, feeling it on the toes and on the grass. This was followed with some passing exercises before the day's sessions were concluded with a final game.

"It was noticeable from the first minute that although the break had done us all a lot of good, it was time to return to the pitch. The players trained with a lot of passion and ambition - the atmosphere was excellent. We are looking forward to the preparation period and the second half of the season," said Ailien Poese, visibly pleased with the good start made by her players.

Two old friends return

And Poese had other reasons to be happy, in the addition of two new, if instantly recognisable, faces to the team in Katja and Dina Orschmann, who have returned to Union and who will certainly and immediately strengthen the team.

Katja had played for Union until last summer, also serving as captain last season and was also named Berlin's Female Footballer of the Year. In the summer, the defensive player decided to go to the USA in favor of her studies, playing football for Lynn University in Florida. But now the 24-year-old is returning after six months.

"After the many great experiences and moments that I was lucky enough to have in the U.S., I was very pleased with the offer from Union. I didn't have to think twice about returning to Köpenick," Orschmann explained.

Meanwhile, her twin, Dina, has also decided to return, having played for the club's girls' and women's teams from 2013 to 2017. After a year and a half in the USA, Orschmann then moved to Turbine Potsdam in the spring of 2019, playing 42 Bundesliga games and scoring twelve goals for the Brandenburgers.

Last summer, she took another step abroad when she signed for Glasgow Rangers. Now the striker is back in the hunt for goals in Köpenick.

It is also, however, time to say goodbye to two players. Full-back Yara Scheffler, who was at Union since 2019, and goalkeeper Chayenne Krebs, who had moved up to the women's team from the U17 team in the summer, have both left the club.

Outlook

The team will now complete three more training sessions in Berlin before heading to Spain for a five-day training camp next Thursday, January 12. Following this, there are a number of friendlies scheduled against sides from the top three flights in Germany before the second half of the season kicks off at the end of February against league leaders Viktoria Berlin.

• 12.01. - 17.01.2023 Training camp in Spain
• 22.01.2023 2 p.m. Friendly vs FC Carl Zeiss Jena (home)
• 29.01.2023 1 p.m. Friendly vs 1. FFC Turbine Potsdam (away)
• 04.02.2023 1 p.m. Friendly vs FC Hertha 03 Zehlendorf (home)
• 12.02.2023 2 p.m. Friendly vs Hamburger SV (away)