Union Berlin vs Schalke 04 Preview: Can Schalke Continue Their Defensive Resurgence?

German Bundesliga  -  Union Berlin VS Schalke 04
Match Time:12-09-2026 02:30 Saturday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Union Berlin welcome newly promoted Schalke 04 to Stadion An der Alten Försterei on September 11 for the third round of the Bundesliga. Neither side has won their opening two league matches, but Schalke will arrive with greater confidence after holding defending champions Bayern Munich to a goalless draw last weekend. Union, meanwhile, are looking to recover from a heavy defeat against Bayer Leverkusen.

Team Analysis:
Union Berlin opened the season with a 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt before suffering a 4-0 defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen. Their defensive problems have been particularly concerning, with seven goals conceded across their first two Bundesliga matches. New manager Mauro Lustrinelli is still trying to establish his tactical approach, and Union have also struggled to turn home advantage into consistent results.

Schalke's start has been more encouraging. They were beaten 3-0 by Augsburg in their opener, but their response against Bayern was impressive. Despite spending long periods under pressure, Schalke defended effectively and goalkeeper Loris Karius produced five saves to secure a valuable 0-0 draw. With their defensive organisation improving, Miron Muslic's side could pose a serious challenge to Union.

Player Situation:
Union will be weakened in attack by the absences of Andrej Ilic and Oliver Burke, while Kastriot Imeri is also unavailable. Defensively, Marvin Friedrich and Stanley N'Soki are ruled out, meaning Zeno Van den Bosch and Felix Uduokhai could form the centre-back pairing. Marin Ljubicic and Emmanuel Latte Lath are expected to lead the attack.

Schalke will be without Ron Schallenberg, who is suspended after his red card against Augsburg was extended to a two-match ban. Satoshi Tanaka is expected to replace him in midfield, while Robin Gosens could play an important role on the left. Karius will also be key after his strong performance against Bayern.

Result Prediction:
Union Berlin have home advantage, but their defensive weaknesses and several important absences make this a difficult fixture. Schalke showed against Bayern that they can remain compact and disciplined, and their confidence should be higher after collecting their first Bundesliga point.

If Schalke can reproduce that defensive organisation while making better use of their attacking opportunities, they have a good chance of securing their first league victory of the season.

Prediction:Union Berlin 0-2 Schalke 04