On Sunday afternoon, when 1. FC Union Berlin and FC Bayern München II meet, it will be a clash belying its status when looked at in terms of the league table. It’s one between two sides, undefeated in 2025. Kick off at the FC Bayern München campus (Ingolstädter Straße 272) is at 14:00.

The lie of the land

FC Bayern II, who finished the first half of the season at the bottom of the table, have been in impressive form so far this year, having  won three and drawn one of their first four games in the second half of the season. In doing so, they have even given the sides in third, fourth and fifth place at Christmas a bloody nose. VfL Bochum and Eintracht Frankfurt II were despatched, 2-0 and 2-1 respectively, before last weekend they took a goalless draw away from their game with Hamburger SV. Bayern have left the relegation places behind them and are now in 11th place.

Union, however, have performed even better in the second half of the season, winning all four games so far. Last weekend, they cruised to a 3-0 home win over SG 99 Andernach, with captain Lisa Heiseler scoring a hat-trick. This result sees Union remain hot on the heels of 1. FC Nürnberg, who have one point more, in second place in the table, and nine points clear of fourth.

The opponents

For the second division stalwarts FC Bayern II - who have been playing in the league without interruption since 2009, and won the championship in 2019 - things looked pretty bleak after the first half of the season. With just six points and a single victory, they went into the winter break at the bottom of the table, already seven points from safety. In the second half of the season, however, the U20s are currently the fourth strongest team in the league. Bayern II have improved massively, especially defensively, and are the only team, along with Union, to have conceded only one goal in the second half of the season.

Bayern’s development was already apparent during the winter break, when they defeated Hertha BSC 6-0 in their mid-winter friendly. In addition, the youngest team in the league were strengthened with the addition of high-calibre midfielder Maria Plattner, who transferred from Wacker Innsbruck to Bayern II. The 23-year-old has already played ten times for the Austrian national team in recent years. Plattner has started all four of Bayern II's matches in the second half of the season so far, scoring a directly converted free-kick on her debut against VfL Bochum.

Sarah Ernst is the top scorer, with four goals under Frenchman Jerome Reisacher, who took over as coach at the beginning of the season. The 20-year-old is one of twelve current German junior internationals in the squad.

The head to head

Union managed a 3-0 win against FC Bayern Munich II last time out. Dina Orschmann put Union in front with two goals before Bayern captain Jana Kappes scored the third with an own goal just before half-time. The 6,181 spectators in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei that day also set the current all-time attendance record in the 2. Bundesliga.

The reunion

Munich born Leonie Köster, played for various FC Bayern München teams from 2015 to 2020. In 2017, she was German champion with the B-juniors and in 2019, she was second division champion with the U20 team. The midfielder played a total of 51 games for the second team. A reunion with her old teammates on Sunday will not happen, at least on the pitch, however, due to injury.

The personnel

Union's head coach Ailien Poese will have to do without Maria Cristina Lange, Leonie Köster, Sophie Trojahn, Tomke Schneider, Marie Becker, Ida Heikkinen, Fatma Sakar, Katja Orschmann and Nele Bauereisen on Sunday.

The coach’s views ahead of the game

“Bayern II have developed well and have so far fought their way back from the bottom of the table,” said Union’s head coach, Ailien Poese, on Thursday. “We want to prevent their good individual quality and determined play up front, and in doing so, repeatedly create chances to score ourselves, and take three points from Munich.”

Service information

The game will be played at the FC Bayern München campus (Ingolstädter Straße 272) on Sunday at 14:00. Tickets are only available at the door. Eiserne Virus are offering a bus trip for the away game and still have seats available.

The game will be broadcast live and free of charge on Sporttotal. In addition, there will be a club-run live ticker, as well as live updates in English on Twitter for the game.