On February 22, Borussia Dortmund will face Union Berlin at the Signal Iduna Park for the 23rd round of the Bundesliga season 2024-25. This match marks another opportunity for Dortmund to turn around their dismal league form, as they attempt to recover from recent defeats and secure valuable points against the visitors, who have historically struggled to gain traction at this venue.
Dortmund, currently sitting at 11th place with 29 points after 22 matches, finds themselves in dire need of victory following two consecutive losses. The recent inability to perform at home—winless in their last five matches—has added to the pressure. The team only managed a goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon, having already secured advancement to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 after winning the first leg 3-0. Coach Nico Kovac’s squad is bolstered by the return of Julian Ryerson and the recovery of Ramy Bensebaini from injury. With only Felix Nmecha absent due to injury, he can almost field his strongest team.
Union Berlin, positioned 13th with 24 points, have improved their form recently. Although they faced defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach last week (1-2), they were able to secure their first away victory following a seven-match losing streak by thrashing Hoffenheim 4-0. The team managed to distance themselves from the relegation zone with strong performances. Nevertheless, they will miss left-back Robert Skov due to injury, leaving Steffen Baumgart to make tactical adjustments. The younger Tom Rote will likely step up to fill the void. Meanwhile, other changes could include Ivan Lovric replacing Stark and Meritan Shabani coming off the bench for Haberer.
Historically, Dortmund has dominated encounters against Union at home. They have won all seven of their previous meetings at Signal Iduna Park, averaging over three goals per game, making them heavy favorites goinginto this fixture. This statistic could provide Dortmund with the confidence needed to break their losing habit and push toward the upper half of the league table.
Pointing toward betting trends, both teams have exhibited offensive patterns where goals are scored across both halves; recent fixtures have shown both teams to struggle defensively, with the possibility for betting on over 2.5 goals at odds of 1.60. Dortmund's last five home matches have all resulted in at least three goals, with Union's scoring having fluctuated greatly this season.
With the upcoming fixture, the stakes are high. Dortmund is under immense pressure to deliver with their fans expecting nothing less than three points. Their performance against Union is viewed as pivotal, not only to boost their league standing but also to regain momentum as the season progresses. For Union Berlin, this match presents both challenges and opportunities as they look to upset their hosts for the first time at their stadium.
Fans are eagerly anticipating what promises to be an exciting clash, with both teams bringing their narratives to the pitch. Will Dortmund find success on home soil and break their losing streak, or will Union Berlin snatch points and continue to prove their doubters wrong? Only time will tell as the match kicks off at 20:30 (Moscow time).