Bundesliga Player Ratings | RB Leipzig 3-1 Union Berlin | OneFootball

RB Leipzig have pushed themselves up to third place in the table and have all but assured themselves of qualification for the 2026/27 Champions League after defeating Union Berlin 3-1 at home. The 2025/26 Bundesliga matchday 31 “curtain raiser” featured a dominant performance from Ole Werner’s German Red Bulls as they easily dispatched Marie-Louise Eta’s FCU. 

Frederik Rønnow beats back early RB charge

Union’s Danish keeper did a fabulous job keeping the German Red Bulls from finding the back of the net early. The Sasxon hosts produced two massive double chances in the 7th and 9th minutes. In both instances, Rønnow stopped the first efforts with strong parries. Union’s Andras Schäfer came to his teammates aid in the second case, clearing a follow up effort off the line to keep the game scoreless. 

Union, meanwhile, ran into typical and predictable problems when trying to mount their own attack charges and counters. Long vertical balls sought to spring notoriously speedy Scottish striker Oliver Burke. The separation between Union top axes nevertheless left Burke without much options whenever he did receive the ball. Burke also couldn’t sort his timing out and was often caught offside. 

Leipzig score two in quick succession

RB mega-star Yan Diomande broke past the FCU ranks in the 22nd-minute. Rønnow couldn’t quite handle the Ivorian’s cross and Leopold Querfeld’s soft clearance out of the box led to Max FInkgräfe receiving the ball about 16 meters out central. The highly touted summer signing from Köln hammered home a gorgeous first-time-finish off a tricky bounce into the right corner. Finkgräfe’s very first goal in RB colors certainly counted as an absolute stunner. 

Just a couple of minutes later, another soft header from Querfeld set up the second goal. The FCU centre-back attempted to head a ball back to Rønnow in the 25th-minute, but his attempted backless was far too short. RB striker Romulu pounced, easily lifted the ball over Rønnow, and proceeded to polish off the 2-0. 

Leipzig hit crossbar twice, Rønnow bows out

Matters truly fell apart for the visiting Köpenickers after that. Eta’s Eisernen – who couldn’t produce a single decimal point of xG in the opening 45 – were saved by the crossbar twice. RB defender Willi Orban headed a ball off the goal frame in the 28th minute. At the half-hour mark, an injury forced Rønnow off the pitch. This led to former Darmstadt and Nürnberg keeper Carl Klaus making his Bundesliga debut. 

The 32-year-old Claus, after not making a competitive appearance in nearly two years, did well to tip a Christoph Baumgartner header onto the crossbar in the 34th-minute. Claus made another strong save in the 40th. Burke received an unexpected chance to bypass RB keeper Maarten Vandevoort at 45+2, but a poor first-touch from the Scot enabled the far out-of-position Vandevoort to poke the ball away.

Union show more courage after the break

The heavily favored hosts visibly took their foot off the gas pedal after the restart, hanging back to absorb pressure and taking very few risks heading forward. The shattered guests ventured forward themselves more often. To their credit, Eta’s team also attempted to come up with some more variability in attack. Burke dropped back further to affect play and mix up the sorties. 

Yan Diomande places the “lid” on the match

Ideas in the final third were still lacking for the trailing guests. The 19-year-old Diomande proved himself a young phenom of infinite ideas on the 3-0. Ridle Baku initiated an attack down the right in the 63rd-minute. Diomande took a pass from Baku, calmly shielded the ball while waiting for Baku to catch up with the play, then returned the ball to Baku with a perfectly timed and exceptionally clever flick. 

Baku fired the third RB goal past FCU keeper Claus, who genuinely stood little chance of positioning himself in the midst of the magnificently creative combo. Baumgartner (75th-minute) and RB substitute Conrad Harder (81st-minute) nearly added fourth Leipzig goals as the match drew towards its inevitable conclusion. 

RB sub Johan Bakayoko – a huge summer transfer flop – also got a pair of chances to score his third RB goal during a late flurry. 

A Union consolation provides a storyline

A 78th-minute pullback goal from Danilho Doekhi didn’t change much. The fact that Doekhi scored the 1-3 off a corner failed to engender much confidence amid an Union side effectively resigned to their fate. It still constitutes a matter of interest that – having scored his first goal of 2026 – has now scored seven goals across all competitions for his Bundesliga club this season. 

It’s common knowledge that the Dutch centre-back – currently valued at €13m – will be departing East Berlin on his expiring contract at the end of the season. There are plenty of rumors linking the 27-year-old with a move to the Premier League. Wherever Doekhi heads next season, his new club will receive a strong finisher who knows how to make an impact on set pieces. 

1. FC Union Berlin Player Ratings

Frederick Rønnow (6) – Diogo Leite (5), Leopold Querfeld (4), Danilho Doekhi (5) – Tom Rothe (6), Rani Kheidira (5), Christopher Trimmel (6) – Janik Haberer (5), Andras Schäfer (6) – Andrej Ilic (6), Oliver Burke (4)

Substitutes: Carl Klaus (7), Josip Juranovic (5), Ilyas Ansah (5), Aljoscha Kemlein (-), Livan Burcu (-)

RB Leipzig Player Ratings

Maarten Vandevoordt (6) – Max Finkgräfe (6), El Chadaille Bitshiabu (3), Willi Orban (6), Ridle Baku (6) – Assan Ouédraogo (6), Christoph Baumgartner (7) – Antonio Nusa (6), Romulu (7) Yan Diomande, (8) 

Substitutes: Johan Bakayoko (6), Brajan Gruda (5), Conrad Harder (6), Benjamin Henrichs (-), Tidiam Gomis (-)

GGFN Bundesliga Player of the Match: Yan Diomande (8)

Yes, Bundesliga journalists are truly running out of superlatives to describe the teenage sensation at this point. This particular author literally has no novel words to offer after writing some 15 plus articles on Diomande this season. Anyone tuned into European football knows this amazing youngster’s incredible story. Diomande assisted on four further shots in addition to his sumptuous pass on Ridle Baku’s goal.

There were also seven sparking dribbles among 62 touches. As if that weren’t enough, he contested and won nearly a dozen midfield duels. He completed 36 passes and raked up 24 sprints. It was simply unreal. The lad is superhuman. After the Cote d’Ivoire international shines for his country (hopefully not too much against Germany) in the coming summer World Cup, most everyone will know his name.

After a recent change of agent, expect a protracted €125m transfer saga this summer.

GGFN | Peter Weis