Relegation Battle at the Bottom of Bundesliga Heats Up as Union Berlin host Holstein Kiel

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·2 March 2025

Relegation Battle at the Bottom of Bundesliga Heats Up as Union Berlin host Holstein Kiel

14th plays 18th this afternoon in Bundesliga as 1. FC Union Berlin welcomes bottom of the table Holstein Kiel with both sides desperate for victory.

Kiel find themselves 8 points adrift of Bundesliga safety and with just two league wins since early November. It’s now or never for their survival hopes.

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But history is not on their side.

No side with 13 points or fewer has ever survived in Bundesliga.

Up against the league’s worst defence (GA59), Union can expect to exploit Kiel’s frailties at the back.

Union won 2-0 in the reverse fixture in October, thanks to goals from Aljoscha Kemlein and Tom Rothe, but die Eisernen have their own problems.

The hosts have only won two league games since they defeated Kiel and shipped six away to Borussia Dortmund last weekend.

Union also boast the second worst attacking record in the league, with just 20 goals.

There is hope for Kiel and they will be buoyed by a recent friendly victory in January.

Played over 120 minutes in Köpenick, Kiel won 2-1. Jann-Fiete Arp proving the difference in a competitive game during the winter break.

Yet, competitive advantage is with Union that have won the previous three league fixtures by a margin of 7 goals to none.

Team News

Union Berlin

Union signed Marin Ljubicic from Austrian side LASK in the winter and could come in for his first Union start, while south Korean, Woo-Yeong Jeong and Slovakian, Laszlo Benes are competing for an attacking midfield spot.
Robert Skov is struggling with a foot injury, so Tom Rothe will likely slot in the defence.
Aljoscha Kemlein has undergone surgery on his foot and will miss the rest of the season.
Serbian, Andrej Ilic is expected to make consecutive starts in attack.

Holstein Kiel

Ivan Nekic, Finn Porath and Steven Skrzybski are doubts with muscle injuries.
New signing John Tolkin is struggling with a thigh injury, and Carl Johansson has a knee injury.
Colin Kleine-Bekel is on his way back from an ACL injury, while Patrick Erras is recovering from a concussion.

Expected Line-ups

Union Berlin:Ronnow; Juranovic, Doekhi, Leite, Rothe; Haberer, Khedira; Skarke, Jeong, Hollerbach; Ilic

Holstein Kiel:Weiner; Ivezic, Zec, Komenda; Rosenboom, Gigovic, Remberg, Holtby, Javorcek; Harres, Machino

The first goal will be vital in today’s game.

After conceding the first goal, Union have failed to win in their last 39 games.

Kiel hopes of survival are fading but today could turn their season around.

It could also bury it.

GGFN | Oscar O’Mara

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