# 2019–20 1. FC Union Berlin season

The 2019–20 season was the 55th season in 1. FC Union Berlin's history and their first season in the top flight of German football, the Bundesliga, having been promoted from the 2. Bundesliga in 2019. In addition to the domestic league, Union Berlin also participated in the season's edition of the domestic cup, the DFB-Pokal. Since their foundation, Union have played in the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, located in Berlin, Germany. The season covered a period from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2020.

## Season review
### Pre-season

On 27 May 2019, Union Berlin gained promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history, following a 2–2 draw over two legs against VfB Stuttgart, in which Union triumphed on the away goals rule. Following promotion, Union Berlin made 14 signings, including signing Marvin Friedrich, the scorer of the deciding goal against Stuttgart, for €2.5 million from FC Augsburg. The club contested eight pre-season friendlies, winning five, drawing two and losing one.

### Bundesliga first half (matchday 1–17)

Union Berlin's first ever Bundesliga game came against rivals RB Leipzig on 18 August 2019, losing 4–0. The club's oldest ultras group, the Wuhlesyndikat, successfully called for a 15-minute silent protest at the start of the game, aimed in protest at Leipzig's ownership model. Six days later, the club picked up their first Bundesliga point, drawing 1–1 away at FC Augsburg, with forward Sebastian Andersson scoring Union Berlin's first ever Bundesliga goal. On matchday 3, Union Berlin gained their first ever Bundesliga win, in a shock 3–1 home victory against UEFA Champions League outfit Borussia Dortmund. During the first five matchdays, International Centre for Sports Studies research concluded that Union Berlin had the highest average height across the top 31 European first divisions. On 2 November 2019, Union Berlin recorded their third Bundesliga win of the season, thanks to a 1–0 home win against Berlin rivals Hertha BSC; the first meeting between the pair in the top flight of German football. Despite Sebastian Polter scoring a late winner from the penalty spot, the game was not without controversy, as referee Deniz Aytekin temporarily halted the game, following fireworks from the away section entering the home sections and the field of play. Following full-time, Rafał Gikiewicz won praise from fans and media alike, after helping prevent a minor pitch invasion from a section of Union Berlin ultras, aimed at attacking Hertha supporters, after Union Berlin flags, shirts and scarves were burnt in the away end during the game. The win lifted Union to 14th place in the Bundesliga table, three points above the relegation play-off place.
On 23 November 2019, Union Berlin recorded their fourth consecutive competitive win, following a 2–0 victory over Bundesliga leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach, with second half goalscorer Andersson sitting at fourth in the Bundesliga scoring charts following the win. At the halfway point of the season, Union sat in eleventh place, one place and one point above city rivals Hertha BSC.

### Bundesliga second half (matchday 18–34)

During the January transfer winter, Union Berlin made one signing, loaning Yunus Mallı in from VfL Wolfsburg until the summer. On matchday 19, Union Berlin recorded their first win after the winter break, following a 3–1 loss to RB Leipzig a week prior, after defeating Augsburg 2–0, with Neven Subotić scoring his first goal for the club. On 1 March 2020, Sebastian Andersson scored his tenth Bundesliga goal of the season in a 2–2 home draw against VfL Wolfsburg, ending an eight game long drought. The game was suspended for over ten minutes during the first half, after protests from Union Berlin's fans against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim's owner Dietmar Hopp in solidarity with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and 1. FC Köln supporters, who had all protested against Hopp's involvement with Hoffenheim on the same weekend. On 4 March 2020, Union Berlin were knocked out of the DFB-Pokal at the quarter-final stage, in a 3–1 loss against Bayer Leverkusen.
Ahead of matchday 26, the Bundesliga was suspended, owing to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, with the Deutsche Fußball Liga recommending a suspension until 2 April 2020. The second Berlin derby of the season, originally scheduled for 21 March 2020, was due to be played behind closed doors following advice from the Bundesministerium für Gesundheit, but was later postponed following the Bundesliga's suspension until 2 April. In mid-April, clubs returned to training. On 7 May 2020, the Deutscher Fußball-Bund announced resumption of the Bundesliga without spectators in mid-May, with the final weekend of the season set to be played on 27 June 2020. On 17 May 2020, after six Bundesliga matchday 26 games were played a day prior, Union Berlin lost 2–0 at home to Bayern Munich behind closed doors. On 22 May 2020, Hertha BSC played Union Berlin at the Olympiastadion behind closed doors in the second Berlin derby of the season, winning 4–0; the biggest competitive victory between the pair.

## Players
### Squad information

    As of 23 Apr 2020
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | POL | Rafał Gikiewicz |
| 3 | DF | SRB | Neven Subotić |
| 5 | DF | GER | Marvin Friedrich |
| 6 | MF | NOR | Julian Ryerson |
| 7 | MF | GER | Akaki Gogia |
| 8 | MF | GER | Joshua Mees |
| 9 | FW | GER | Sebastian Polter |
| 10 | FW | SWE | Sebastian Andersson |
| 11 | FW | NGA | Anthony Ujah |
| 12 | GK | DEN | Jakob Busk |
| 14 | DF | GER | Ken Reichel |
| 15 | FW | GER | Marius Bülter (on loan from 1. FC Magdeburg) |
| 16 | FW | GER | Laurenz Dehl |
| 17 | MF | AUT | Florian Flecker |
| 18 | MF | TUR | Yunus Mallı (on loan from VfL Wolfsburg) |
| 19 | DF | GER | Florian Hübner |
| 20 | FW | NGA | Suleiman Abdullahi |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 21 | MF | GER | Grischa Prömel |
| 23 | MF | GER | Felix Kroos |
| 24 | MF | GER | Manuel Schmiedebach |
| 25 | DF | GER | Christopher Lenz |
| 26 | MF | GER | Julius Kade |
| 27 | FW | NED | Sheraldo Becker |
| 28 | DF | AUT | Christopher Trimmel (Captain) |
| 29 | DF | GER | Michael Parensen |
| 30 | MF | GER | Robert Andrich |
| 31 | DF | GER | Keven Schlotterbeck (on loan from SC Freiburg) |
| 32 | FW | DEN | Marcus Ingvartsen |
| 34 | MF | GER | Christian Gentner |
| 35 | GK | GER | Moritz Nicolas (on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach) |
| 39 | GK | GER | Leo Oppermann |
| 40 | MF | GER | Maurice Arcones |
| — | FW | GER | Tim Maciejewski |

### Transfers
#### Summer

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 3 | DF | SRB | Neven Subotić (from AS Saint-Étienne) |
| 5 | DF | GER | Marvin Friedrich (re-purchased from FC Augsburg) |
| 11 | FW | NGA | Anthony Ujah (from 1. FSV Mainz 05) |
| 15 | FW | GER | Marius Bülter (on loan from 1. FC Magdeburg) |
| 16 | FW | GER | Laurenz Dehl (from 1. FC Union Berlin youth) |
| 17 | MF | AUT | Florian Flecker (from TSV Hartberg) |
| 20 | FW | NGA | Suleiman Abdullahi (loan option purchased from Eintracht Braunschweig) |
| 24 | MF | GER | Manuel Schmiedebach (loan option converted from Hannover 96) |
| 26 | MF | GER | Julius Kade (from Hertha BSC) |
| 27 | FW | NED | Sheraldo Becker (from ADO Den Haag) |
| 30 | MF | GER | Robert Andrich (from 1. FC Heidenheim) |
| 31 | DF | GER | Keven Schlotterbeck (on loan from SC Freiburg) |
| 32 | FW | DEN | Marcus Ingvartsen (from Genk) |
| 34 | MF | GER | Christian Gentner (from VfB Stuttgart) |
| 35 | GK | GER | Moritz Nicolas (on loan from Borussia Mönchengladbach) |
| 39 | GK | GER | Leo Oppermann (from 1. FC Union Berlin youth) |
| 40 | MF | GER | Maurice Arcones (from 1. FC Union Berlin youth) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 4 | DF | GER | Lars Dietz (on loan to FC Viktoria Köln) |
| 7 | MF | GER | Marcel Hartel (to Arminia Bielefeld) |
| 13 | DF | GER | Peter Kurzweg (to FC Ingolstadt 04) |
| 15 | DF | ESP | Marc Torrejón (released) |
| 17 | FW | POR | Carlos Mané (loan period ended from Sporting CP) |
| 27 | MF | KOS | Eroll Zejnullahu (released) |
| 30 | GK | GER | Lennart Moser (on loan to FC Energie Cottbus) |
| 31 | MF | TUR | Berkan Taz (on loan to FC Energie Cottbus) |
| 32 | MF | AUT | Robert Žulj (loan period ended from 1899 Hoffenheim) |
| 34 | DF | GER | Fabian Schönheim (released) |
| 36 | DF | TUR | Cihan Kahraman (mutual contract termination) |

#### Winter

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | TUR | Yunus Mallı (on loan from VfL Wolfsburg) |
| — | FW | GER | Tim Maciejewski (from 1. FC Union Berlin youth) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | DF | GER | Nicolai Rapp (on loan to SV Darmstadt 98) |
| 30 | GK | GER | Lennart Moser (on loan to Cercle Brugge K.S.V.) |
| 33 | DF | USA | Lennard Maloney (on loan to Chemnitzer FC) |

## Friendly matches

Win  Draw  Loss

## Competitions

Win  Draw  Loss

### Overview

| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record | Record |
| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % |
| Bundesliga | 18 August 2019 | 27 June 2020 | Matchday 1 | 11th | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 035.29 |
| DFB-Pokal | 11 August 2019 | 4 March 2020 | First round | Quarter-finals | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 075.00 |
| Total | Total | Total | Total | Total | 38 | 15 | 5 | 18 | 52 | 62 | −10 | 039.47 |
Last updated: 27 June 2020 Source: Competitions

### Bundesliga
#### League table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 9 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 34 | 13 | 6 | 15 | 59 | 60 | −1 | 45 |
| 10 | Hertha BSC | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 48 | 59 | −11 | 41 |
| 11 | Union Berlin | 34 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 41 | 58 | −17 | 41 |
| 12 | Schalke 04 | 34 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 38 | 58 | −20 | 39 |
| 13 | Mainz 05 | 34 | 11 | 4 | 19 | 44 | 65 | −21 | 37 |

#### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Last updated: 27 June 2020. Source: Bundesliga

#### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Ground | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | L | D | W | L | L | L | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | D | L | L | L | W | L | W | L | W | D | L | L | L | D | L | D | W | W | L | W |
| Position | 18 | 14 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 11 |

#### Matches

The Bundesliga schedule was announced on 28 June 2019.

### DFB-Pokal
## Squad and statistics

    As of 8 June 2020
| No. | Pos | Player | Bundesliga | Bundesliga | DFB-Pokal | DFB-Pokal | Total | Total |
| No. | Pos | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 1 | GK | Rafał Gikiewicz | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Neven Subotić | 22 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 1 |
| 5 | DF | Marvin Friedrich | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 1 |
| 6 | DF | Julian Ryerson | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Akaki Gogia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Joshua Mees | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 2 |
| 9 | FW | Sebastian Polter | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| 10 | FW | Sebastian Andersson | 30 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 33 | 13 |
| 11 | FW | Anthony Ujah | 20 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 24 | 3 |
| 12 | GK | Jakob Busk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Ken Reichel | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 15 | FW | Marius Bülter | 29 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 33 | 7 |
| 16 | FW | Laurenz Dehl | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | Florian Flecker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Yunus Mallı | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Florian Hübner | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | Suleiman Abdullahi | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | Grischa Prömel | 12 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
| 23 | MF | Felix Kroos | 11 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 0 |
| 24 | MF | Manuel Schmiedebach | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Christopher Lenz | 25 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 29 | 1 |
| 26 | MF | Julius Kade | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 27 | FW | Sheraldo Becker | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| 28 | DF | Christopher Trimmel | 28 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 |
| 29 | DF | Michael Parensen | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 30 | MF | Robert Andrich | 28 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 32 | 4 |
| 31 | DF | Keven Schlotterbeck | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 23 | 1 |
| 32 | FW | Marcus Ingvartsen | 24 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 28 | 6 |
| 34 | MF | Christian Gentner | 28 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 31 | 2 |
| 35 | GK | Moritz Nicolas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 40 | MF | Maurice Arcones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players transferred out during the season |||||||||
| 18 | DF | Nicolai Rapp | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |