Pellegrino Matarazzo warns against underestimating Union without Max Kruse, who has left for Wolfsburg. The Köpenicker have other, no less dangerous attackers at their disposal.
The Berliners are one of the teams that do not suit the Swabians at all. In seven competitive duels, VfB have only won once (to the direct comparison): on 24 April 2017 in the 2. Liga after a hard-fought 3:1. The fact that next weekend’s opponents have also only won once, also at home, is little consolation. Especially in view of the fact that two of the other five draws (2:2 and 0:0), were enough for Union in the 2019 relegation to be promoted and VfB to be promoted to the second division.
The Stuttgart side are desperate to avoid that this season. Something tangible from the capital could help the seventeenth-placed team in the table. But Matarazzo’s team should be warned. Regardless of their success against Borussia Mönchengladbach (3:2). The first after nine unsuccessful matchdays. And regardless of the departure of Kruse, who has left Berlin for Wolfsburg.
“Union is still an extremely unpleasant team that is very tough to play against and also has its strengths in defence,” explained the VfB head coach. “Berlin offers few spaces, plays with a certain man-orientation, the five-man backline covers with good timing, closes the spaces very quickly and very well after losing the ball. It’s hard to score a goal against them. “
And offensively, the club from the east of Berlin should not be underestimated without Kruse. “They have two extremely fast players with good physicality in Taiwo Awonjyi and Sheraldo Becker. On top of that, they have two strong eights in Genki Haraguchi and Grischa Prömel, who are always looking for depth,” explained Matarazzo, whose side have yet to manage to win two games in a row this season.
Next try Berlin. “For us it will be important to realise that it will be a completely different game to Gladbach. We will need patience, tenacity and tactical discipline. We’ll have to watch out for the off-the-ball eights and wing-backs who always appear in the penalty area, and operate with a safe counter-attack to shut down their deep balls to Awoniyi and Becker.” George Moissidis
