Commence at Union with the penmanship of Baumgart
As the 2023-2024 Bundesliga season approaches, 1. FC Union Berlin is making preparations with a blend of tradition and innovation. The club, fresh from their promotion, is set to kick off their campaign with a series of tests and fitness assessments.
The first competitive game for Union Berlin will be the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 15, an away match against FC Gütersloh. However, the club's Bundesliga debut will come a week later, as cup winners VfB Stuttgart visit the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Coach Steffen Baumgart's tactical approach for the upcoming season is primarily a 4-2-3-1 or sometimes a 4-4-2 setup. This flexible strategy emphasises a solid double pivot in midfield and adaptability in attack, allowing Union Berlin to switch between these formations under Baumgart's management.
The preparations for the new season have seen the arrival of Oliver Burke, who is expected to replace top scorer Benedict Hollerbach. However, veterans Christopher Trimmel (38) and Sami Khedira (31) are yet to feature in the pre-season preparations.
Union Berlin's medical checks for the players will take place at the Charité, as has been the case since their promotion in 2019. The young talents Oluwaseun Ogbemudia (18), Andrik Markgraf (19), Yannic Stein (20), David Preu (20), Livan Burcu (20), and Ilyas Ansah (20) are making their way through the team, indicating a more youthful direction for the club.
Tom Rothe (20) and Aljoscha Kemlein (20) are the more experienced young players in the squad, while Leopold Querfeld (21) is a key defensive hope for Union Berlin.
In the coming weeks, Baumgart's task will be to strike the right balance between maintaining the club's dogma of collective football based on stability and fighting spirit, and introducing innovations to keep the team competitive. The team will travel to Austria for games against LASK in Linz on July 19 and Rapid Wien on July 20.
The long shadow of former coach Urs Fischer is fading for Union Berlin, as the club moves forward under Baumgart's leadership. The coach is considering introducing a back four formation to add further tactical diversity to the team's play.
As the preparations continue, Union Berlin is demonstrating a commitment to both tradition and modernity, a balance that could prove crucial in the upcoming Bundesliga season. The first test match against Brandenburger SC Süd 05 on Saturday at 3:30 PM will provide an early indication of the team's readiness for the challenges ahead.
Union Berlin is set to face FC Gütersloh in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 15, marking their first competitive game of the 2023-2024 season. As preparations for the Bundesliga debut continue, Coach Steffen Baumgart is experimenting with tactical formations such as the 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2, focusing on both a solid midfield and adaptability in attack. The young talents in the squad, like Oluwaseun Ogbemudia and Ilyas Ansah, indicate a more youthful direction for the club, but veterans like Christopher Trimmel and Sami Khedira are yet to feature in the pre-season preparations.
