- Five essential insights from Union Berlin's match against St. Pauli
FC Union Berlin is set to host its inaugural home match of the fresh Bundesliga campaign on Friday (8:30 PM). The arena, An der Alten Försterei, is packed with 22,012 spectators. The opposition is FC St. Pauli.
- The duo is yet to record a triumph: Neither team has managed to accumulate three points until now. St. Pauli, the newly promoted side, endured a 0:2 home defeat against 1. FC Heidenheim in the opening round. Union tied 1:1 against 1. FSV Mainz 05.
- 27th encounter: Since 1990, the two teams have engaged in 26 official contests - two in the DFB-Pokal, four in the then third-tier Regionalliga Nord, and 20 in the 2. Bundesliga. The overall tally favors the home squad with 10 victories, 4 draws, and 6 triumphs for St. Pauli. This will mark the first face-off in the 1. Bundesliga.
- "Everlasting" counterparts: In the Bundesliga's all-time ranks, Union ranks 34th with 244 points from 171 games, just 10 points short of St. Pauli in 33rd place with 254 points from 273 games.
- Kemlein's return: Union midfielder Aljoscha Kemlein spent the second half of last season on loan at FC St. Pauli. The native Berliner featured in 17 matches in Hamburg.
- Gspurning's return: Union's goalkeeper coach Michael Gspurning has now completed his red card ban from last season. The Austrian sat out in both the DFB-Pokal match versus Greifswalder FC (1:0) and the league encounter in Mainz.
The first team, FC Union Berlin, is looking to break its winless streak against FC St. Pauli, their 'everlasting' counterparts in the Bundesliga's all-time ranks. Aljoscha Kemlein, the Union midfielder who spent the second half of last season on loan at FC St. Pauli, will be eager to make an impact in this inaugural match against his former club.
