Two teams seeking to avoid a third successive Bundesliga defeat meet at Stadion Alte Forsterei as Union Berlin play host to Werder Bremen on Saturday afternoon.
The Irons Ones will be seeking revenge against the River Islanders after they suffered a 2-0 defeat in the reverse fixture almost five months ago.
Match preview
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After ending the month of February in positive fashion with a four-game unbeaten run, Union Berlin have since kick-started March with back-to-back 2-0 defeats against Champions League-chasing Borussia Dortmund and Stuttgart, losing to the latter last weekend.
Andras Schafer was shown a straight red card for a high challenge midway through the second half after Serhou Guirassy and Chris Fuhrich scored either side of the interval to condemn the Iron Ones to their 14th defeat of the campaign.
Union Berlin have collected just 25 points from as many Bundesliga matches this season, their lowest total at this stage of a top-flight campaign, but they currently sit 14th in the Bundesliga standings and seven points clear of the relegation playoff spot occupied by FC Koln with nine games left to play.
With fixtures against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich on the horizon, Nenad Bjelica's side will be targeting an important victory over a fellow out-of-sorts outfit in Bremen this weekend as they look to increase the gap between themselves and the drop zone.
Union Berlin will welcome a return to Stadion Alte Forsterei where they have picked up 17 of their 25 Bundesliga points this season and have beaten Bremen in their last two home meetings by an aggregate score of 4-1.
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Like Union Berlin, Werder Bremen have lost their first two matches in March by the same scoreline, suffering 2-1 defeats to Hoffenheim and Borussia Dortmund, with their most recent setback against the latter representing their 11th top-flight loss of the season.
Donyell Malen and Jadon Sancho put BVB into a two-goal lead before the sending off of Marcel Sabitzer in first-half stoppage time allowed the River Islanders back into the game, with Justin Njinmah reducing the deficit midway through the second half.
However, Ole Werner's side were unable to salvage a point in the closing stages and defeat has seen them slip to 10th in the Bundesliga table, five points clear of Saturday's opponents Union Berlin and three behind seventh place, which could become a Europa Conference League qualification spot if Bayer Leverkusen win the DFB-Pokal.
Although Bremen have won just one of their last five matches, they are currently enjoying a 12-game scoring streak, the longest current run in the Bundesliga, and will fancy their chances of coming out on top against a Union Berlin side who have drawn a blank in front of goal a league-high 13 times this term.
Team News
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Union Berlin midfielder Janik Haberer is ruled out with a muscle injury, while Andras Schafer will serve a two-match suspension following his dismissal last weekend.
In the absence of Schafer, Leeds United loanee Brenden Aaronson could be recalled to start in midfield alongside Lucas Tousart and Rani Khedira, with Robin Gosens and Josip Juranovic operating as wing-backs.
Yorbe Vertessen was handed just his second Bundesliga start last time out and will be hoping to fend off competition from Benedict Hollerbach to keep his place in attack alongside Kevin Volland.
As for Werder Bremen, Marco Friedl and Amos Pieper are making progress in their recovery from ankle injuries, the former of whom took part in light training earlier this week, but they both remain sidelined along with Niklas Stark, who is also nursing an ankle problem.
Milos Veljkovic has revealed that he is "fit and ready to play" after recovering from a knee injury, but it remains to be seen whether he will be thrown straight back into the starting lineup.
Romano Schmid is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards, so Leonardo Bittencourt will likely deputise in centre-midfield alongside Senne Lynen and Jens Stage.
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Leite; Khedira; Juranovic, Tousart, Aaronson, Gosens; Volland, Hollerbach
Werder Bremen possible starting lineup:
Zetterer; Malatini, Gross, Jung; Lynen; Weiser, Bittencourt, Stage, Agu; Njinmah, Ducksch
We say: Union Berlin 1-2 Werder Bremen
Union Berlin and Werder Bremen will both view Saturday's fixture as a winnable game, and while there is little to separate these two out-of-form teams, we believe that Bremen have the edge in the final third and that should get them over the line this time around.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Oliver Thomas
