Mauro Lustrinelli is focused on his Union Berlin squad’s need to deliver more consistent performances on the road as they head to Freiburg this Sunday.
Union aims to secure a victory at the Europa-Park Stadion before the international break, striving to distance themselves from the bottom three in the Bundesliga.
The team hasn’t celebrated a league win since October 10, when they edged out Elversberg 1-0, and they’ve particularly struggled in away matches this season.
This year, they’ve managed only two wins in 13 Bundesliga away games, gathering just nine points out of a possible 39.
Only Borussia Monchengladbach and Cologne have accumulated fewer away points among teams that have been in the top flight throughout the year.
Currently sitting 16th in the standings, Union will face a Freiburg team that is close to Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund at the top of the league. Lustrinelli recognized the formidable challenge his players will face this weekend.
“We want to truly show our capabilities away from home, no matter the venue. That’s the next milestone for us,” said Lustrinelli.
“Freiburg is a strong contender and a well-organized team that performed admirably in Turkey on Thursday. We need to acknowledge this challenge to enhance our chances.”
A vital point in the best stadium in the world. Cheers, Unioner. Eisern! https://t.co/zNc6nQ9RAr
— 1. FC Union Berlin (English) (@fcunion_en) November 1, 2026
Freiburg heads into the match full of confidence after achieving three consecutive wins across all competitions.
They recently defeated Trabzonspor 1-0 at Papara Park in the Conference League, lifting them to 14th in the overall standings.
Lukas Kubler netted the lone goal in the 14th minute, helping to contain the in-form Mohamed Salah to secure victory.
“We played very well in the first half and limited our opponent’s chances,” remarked Freiburg head coach Julian Schuster. “I would have liked us to have scored a second goal before halftime.”
“We knew we needed to defend effectively if we weren’t converting our opportunities,” he added.
However, Freiburg faced some pressure as Trabzonspor posted an expected goals (xG) total of 1.61 from 15 shots, although only two were on target.
“We anticipated that this team would create opportunities, but they were quite limited,” concluded Schuster, expressing his satisfaction with securing such an important win.
KEY PLAYERS
Freiburg – Igor Matanovic
Matanovic has scored 10 of his 15 Bundesliga goals for the club after the 60th minute. Since last season, only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane has netted more goals in the final stages of matches (19).
Additionally, only three players have recorded more shots on target this season than the Croatian (13).
Union Berlin – Janik Haberer
Haberer recently scored in back-to-back Bundesliga matches for the second time in his career, previously doing so with Freiburg in January 2017.
The last Union player to score in three consecutive Bundesliga matches was Kevin Behrens over three and a half years ago, from March to April 2023.
Diaries out, Unioner https://t.co/CAPqy9WVMw
— 1. FC Union Berlin (English) (@fcunion_en) November 5, 2026
MATCH PREDICTION: FREIBURG VICTORY
This will be the 21st meeting between Freiburg and Union in all competitions, and Freiburg is currently experiencing their longest winless streak against them in the last seven encounters (D3 L4).
Among teams they’ve faced at least 10 times, Freiburg has a lower win percentage only against Bayern Munich (8%) and Borussia Dortmund (10%) than against Union (14%).
However, with 16 points from eight matches, Freiburg is enjoying their joint-best start to the Bundesliga, trailing only the 2022-23 season when they recorded 17 points at this stage. They currently sit seven points higher than they did last season.
On the other hand, Union is having their joint-second poorest start with only seven points from eight matches, with just the 2023-24 season yielding fewer points (six) at this stage.
Nevertheless, there’s some optimism as Union remains unbeaten in their last four Bundesliga games (W1 D3), their longest unbeaten stretch within a single season since a five-game run around the start of 2025-26.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITIES
Freiburg – 60.9%
Draw – 20.7%
Union Berlin – 18.4%
Fan Take: This match is crucial for both teams as Union Berlin seeks to prove themselves away from home and rise above the relegation zone, while Freiburg looks to solidify their position near the top of the table. The outcome could significantly impact the Bundesliga narrative, influencing fan engagement and team dynamics as the season progresses.
Source: www.soccernews.com
