Urs Fischer got it on Tuesday, Christopher Trimmel is due this Thursday. At 1. FC Union there has for some time been the ritual, which is also widespread in many amateur teams, of shooting or throwing numerous balls at colleagues to celebrate the day. No exceptions are made for the coach’s 56th birthday and the captain’s 35th. Luckily for Fischer and Trimmel, the Berliners have at least reduced the intensity of the shots recently. An injury at the birthday ritual would just be missing from the series of unpleasant events of the past few weeks. “We all know what the coach wants from us, so let’s see that we take a few points with us,” Trimmel said in a media session on Tuesday.
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A positive result in the home game against Mainz 05 on Saturday (3.30 p.m., Sky) is also high on Trimmel’s wish list. Most recently, Union has lost three times in a row and has not scored a goal. In the winter, two leading players, Marvin Friedrich and Max Kruse, left the club, and on Monday Grischa Prömel announced his free transfer to Hoffenheim in the summer. The mood in Köpenick was definitely better, even if Trimmel doesn’t perceive the situation as gloomy by far. “It’s not like we’re stuck in a hole,” said the Austrian.
Trimmel has been playing for Union since 2014 and has experienced some crises and the big rise in recent years. Accordingly, he deals with the current situation calmly. Victories were also possible against Augsburg and Bielefeld, and the team does not play any different football than in the successful first weeks of the year, said Trimmel. “It was a matter of time before we weren’t as lucky as we were in January.” However, Trimmel also complained that the Berliners were currently making too many defensive mistakes and not using their own chances efficiently. However, he does not see any need for major changes. “There’s no reason for ‘now more than ever’. We will continue to work in the same way,” said Trimmel.
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After weeks with many annoying questions about Kruse and the crisis, Union wants to ensure more calm again and get closer to the official goal of the season, staying up in the league. Two wins are still missing from the much-cited 40-point mark. After that you can look for new goals, Trimmel had emphasized weeks ago – and nothing has changed in this approach, even if the questions about a possible European Cup qualification have recently fallen silent.
With the Mainzers, however, a team is coming to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei that is currently in very good shape. Bo Svensson’s side have picked up seven points in their last three games against European contenders Hoffenheim, Freiburg and Leverkusen. In the table, Mainz has passed the Berliners with the better goal difference. Marcus Ingvartsen, on loan from Union, scored the winning goal last weekend. “I’m happy for Marcus,” said Trimmel. “Mainz has a good mentality, good guys and is difficult to play with.”
