Hertha Berlin vs Union Berlin
Time: 2:30 pm EST
Odds: Hertha Berlin +135, Draw +230, Union Berlin +200
Last Game: 1-0 Union Berlin on November 2nd, 2019
The second week of resumed play in the Bundesliga starts off with a bang with the 2nd ever Berlin Derby in the Bundesliga between Hertha Berlin and Union Berlin. Union won the first meeting back in November 1-0 on a Sebastian Polter pk in the 87’. The atmosphere in the Olympiastadion for the second meeting will be worlds apart from the sold out An Der Alten Forsteri in November, as the remainder of the season is being played behind closed doors. Hertha enjoyed a fruitful return to Bundesliga play last week with a strong 3-0 win away at European hopefuls Hoffenheim, which saw them leapfrog Union Berlin into 11th place in the table. This strong performance came despite star striker Krzysztof Piątek not coming on until the 79’, and if he’s in the starting lineup Union defenders look to have their hands full. Union’s return to league play was not as successful as their cross town rivals, as they lost 2-0 at home to league giants Bayern Munich. Union played a defensive style from the start of the game, with some degree of success only allowing a total of 3 shots on target the entire game which is no small feat against one of the best teams on the continent. Union fans will find consolation in the fact that Bayern needed goals from a Robert Lewandowski free kick and a world class strike from defender Benjamin Pavard in order to crack the stingy Union defense. Like Hertha, Union were without their star striker Sebastian Anderson for most of the game as he didn’t come on until the 71’.
Expect Union to play their typical defensive style and hope to catch Hertha in the counter attack. Even without the support of their home crowd of 75,000 Hertha is the better team here, especially following the January addition of Krzysztof Piątek, and will be looking to recapture local bragging rights after losing the first derby on a late penalty. Union have pulled of some surprising results this year but have struggled on the road with only 2 wins in their last 6 against Frankfurt and basement dwellers Weder Bremen, so don’t expect too much magic from them here.