Union Berlin vs. VfB Stuttgart preview: Union look for strong start against Pokal winners | OneFootball

Union Berlin

Union's 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign was well below par in comparison to their standards set since their ascent to the top-flight in 2019; however, Die Eisernen were able to amass 40 points by May and secure a 13th-place finish - far enough away from any relegation troubles that seemed a possibility during the season's opening months. \

Manager Steffen Baumgart remains in charge at Stadion an der Alten Försterei and carries the aim of getting off to a good start against a strong Stuttgart side.

The two sides played out a spectacular 4-4 draw back in April, with eight goals scored in just 45 first-half minutes. However, both Baumgart and Sebastian Hoeneß will look to avoid writing a similar script on the opening weekend.

Team News

Union enter the campaign with an injury-hit squad - a far from ideal situation for Baumgart going into his first full season in charge in Köpenick.

Diogo Leite and Lucas Tousart will miss the opening clash, Frederik Rønnow was substituted early in last weekend's DFB-Pokal win against Gütersloch and is doubtful, while Josip Juranovic, Oluwaseun Ogbemudia and Stanley N'Soki are also all doubts.

Predicted lineup - 3-5-2: Raab - Doekhi, Querfeld, Rothe - Trimmel, Schäfer, Khedira, Haberer, Skov - Ansa, Ilic

VfB Stuttgart

After a hit-and-miss period saw Stuttgart miss out on a European place last season, Die Schwaben secured Europa League fashion in the most memorable way possible as they lifted the DFB-Pokal in May, following a 4-2 win against Arminia Bielefeld at Olympiastadion.

Sebastian Honeß's men are one of the favourites to be back among those fighting for Champions League football this term, and are aiming to start their season as they ended the last in Berlin, with a win.

VfB have been at the centre of the transfer talk across the Bundesliga this summer, with Nick Woltemade being subject to interest from champions Bayern Munich; however, Stuttgart remained firm, with the towering forward continuing to wear the Brustring this term.

Stuttgart struggled to balance both Bundesliga and Champions League football last term, and Hoeneß will hope that his side have learned valuable lessons ahead of a second successive year with many more ‘Englische Woche’ to come.

Team News

After Angelo Stiller suffered an injury scare during Stuttgart's pre-season camp in Rottach-Egern, the midfielder is set to be back in action on the opening weekend, and Hoeneß otherwise has a fully fit squad to pick from following their 2-1 Franz Beckenbauer Supercup loss against Bayern last Saturday.

Predicted lineup - 4-2-3-1: Nübel - Assignon, Jaquez, Chabot, Mittelstädt - Karazor, Stiller - Leweling, Undav, Führich - Woltemade