For the first time since February 2022, Union Berlin has lost two games in a row. Given the upcoming highlight in the Champions League, it was a bad time, but Robin Gosens was already thinking about the build-up work immediately after the game.
Robin Gosens scored against Wolfsburg to make it 1-1. IMAGO/Jan Huebner
Union Berlin played in Wolfsburg four times in the Bundesliga and failed to win four times (three defeats, one draw). Even after the fifth attempt, the scoreboard in the Volkswagen Arena did not show an away win. “We had enough chances to at least make it 2-2. We missed that, so in my opinion you lose 1-2 relatively unnecessarily,” said Robin Gosens angrily on “Sky”.
After a dominant first few minutes, Kevin Behrens lost the ball and the Wolves surprisingly won 1-0. “You’re not actually allowed to get the first one, but that’s sport,” said Gosens, for whom both goals were “avoidable in the making.” It was he himself who, with a lot of effort, headed in to make it 1-1 before Joakim Maehle, Gosens’ former teammate in Bergamo, volleyed a corner from Frederik Rönnow in front of the penalty area into the back of the net. “Joakim does that well. You can get a goal like that,” Gosens then had to admit.
Union has to accept an accusation
Likewise, the Köpenick team found too few solutions on the offensive against a Wolfsburg that defended strongly. Coach Urs Fischer also saw it that way. His team “did a lot of things right”, but in the end they had to accept a reproach: “If you have so many options, then you have to be more efficient. We weren’t that today.”
The 2-1 defeat was not only the second defeat in a row – the last time it happened was in February 2022 – but also a failed dress rehearsal before the start of the Champions League. There we’ll face record winners Real Madrid on Wednesday (6:45 p.m., LIVE! on kicker).
Union before the big game at Real Madrid
Despite the defeat, Fischer was still able to take something positive with him and that was that his team tried to find playful solutions. “You’ll need that in Madrid,” said Fischer. “When you win the ball, you have to trust yourself to release yourself from the pressure in a playful way. If you knock the ball away every time, then it will be difficult.” His team showed these approaches in Wolfsburg.
A key role in the preparation for the away game will be played by internationally experienced players such as Leonardo Bonucci, who was on the bench again for 90 minutes against Wolves, and in particular Gosens, who finally reached the final of the Champions League with Inter Milan last season – and narrowly lost to Manchester City.
The 29-year-old won’t stop anyone from dreaming; Gosens sees his job as “instilling self-confidence back into his teammates” before the highlight at the Bernabeu. “We can’t go to Madrid now to be spectators and just marvel. We can do that after the game,” said Gosens.
2023-09-16 19:44:55
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