When 1. FC Union Berlin Reached the Bundesliga – Scheisse! We’re Going Up!
The 2018/19 season is the most significant in Union Berlin’s history.
By this time, Die Eisernen (the Iron Ones) had cemented themselves as 2. Bundesliga stalwarts, having been in the league since 2009.
They flirted with promotion to the Bundesliga a couple in the decade, most notably in 2017, where they finished fourth and missed promotion by six points.
Under the guidance of Jens Keller, Union were set to reach the playoff spot.
But after losing five of their last nine games of the season, they came up short.
The following season was even more disappointing for Union, as they only avoided relegation by seven points.
Heading into the new season, the club went for a fresh look.
Finding Fischer
They appointed Urs Fischer as the new boss, who won numerous titles in his native Switzerland with FC Basel.
Although unknown in Germany, Fischer arrived with history on his side.
Swiss managers have a successful track record in German football, most notably Lucien Favre, who guided both Hertha Berlin and Borussia Mönchengladbach to Champions League qualification.
Favre left an impression on Fischer when they both worked at FC Zurich.
“I admired his mentality and the way he coached: an obsession with details, always practicing, being precise,” Fischer said.
“Swiss coaches have already left their mark on German football, and I’ll do everything I can to add to this successful track record,” he added after landing in the German capital.
When Fischer arrived, the aim for Union Berlin that season was to create stability and put the building blocks together for the future.
They possessed a healthy mix of experienced and younger players for the manager to work with and apply his tactics.
The ingredients had melded together much quicker than most anticipated.
Victory against Erzgebirge Aue on the opening day set the standard for the season.
A late freekick, scored by Felix Kroos, secured the three points at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, a stadium that would become a fortress for Union.
Die Eisernen went through the entire hinrunde (first half of the season) without tasting defeat.
However, they did pick up several draws along the way, and their away form was nothing to shout about.
By season’s end, Union only won three games away from home, in contrast to their home form, winning 11 games and losing only one.
The most dramatic result came in October against Heidenheim as Union needed a 94th-minute header from goalkeeper Rafał Giekiewicz to salvage a 2-2 draw at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.
Union Berlin were in the promotion hunt all season but slipped further from the top as they neared the end.
On the final day, they needed to win away at Bochum to secure automatic promotion.
Despite two late goals from Grischa Prömel and Joshua Mees, Die Eisernen drew the game 2-2, meaning they finished third and would have to play in the relegation playoff.
Punishing Playoff
The relegation playoff has always intrigued those outside the German footballing sphere.
The third-placed finishers in 2. Bundesliga face third from bottom in the Bundesliga in a two-legged playoff.
The DFB reintroduced it in 2009 and since then it has heavily favoured the Bundesliga side.
In the fifteen playoffs since its reintroduction, the team from the second division has won only three times.
So, the odds were stacked against Union Berlin when they went into the 2019 playoff against VfB Stuttgart.
The Bundesliga side boasted experienced players, including German internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.
Plus, recent World Cup winner Benjamin Pavard.
Despite the individual quality available, Stuttgart didn’t work together as a collective and, consequently, this saw them finish 16th in the Bundesliga and have to face the playoff.
The key going into the away leg for Die Eisernen was to keep it manageable.
Union Berlin knew a good result in the first match would be essential.
Taking a result back to Köpenick would put the tie in their hands.
That night they displayed the full suite of qualities they had shown all season.
They fought; they worked hard as a team and did what they needed to do.
However, they found themselves behind after 41 minutes before bouncing back immediately through Suleiman Abdullahi.
A rare goal for the striker who only scored two all season.
Gomez regained the lead for Stuttgart early in the second half, only for Union to respond a second time through centre-back Marvin Friedrich.
The game finished 2-2, and with the away goals rule in effect, Union had put themselves in a very favourable position going into the reverse fixture.
Dreams of Die Eisernen
Stuttgart knew how difficult it would be to score at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei, as Die Eisernen had only conceded 11 goals there all season.
German football writer and author of Scheisse! We’re Going Up!: The Unexpected Rise of Berlin’s Rebel Football Club, Kit Holden was at the Försterei for the second leg.
“Walking around the stadium before the game, you could sense the feeling that something special was going to happen that night.
“People were queueing to get into the ground hours before kick-off, there was a magical feeling in the air.”
Despite the atmosphere, the game was as tense as you could imagine.
Urs Fischer set his side up to defend the away goal advantage and perhaps catch Stuttgart on the counter.
Union nearly got off to the worst possible start as Stuttgart’s Dennis Aogo rifled a free kick into the top corner after eight minutes.
Luckily for the home side, following a VAR review, the goal was ruled out as Nicolas Gonzalez was stood in an offside position, blocking Gikiewicz’s view.
After surviving that scare, Union grew into the game and almost got their dream goal as Abdullahi struck the post twice.
German football writer and diehard Unioner Jacob Sweetman was at the second leg at the Försterei.
“The last fifteen minutes of that home leg is one of the tensest experiences I’ve ever had in a football stadium.
“The last 30 seconds of it were one of the most joyful experiences I’ve ever had in a football stadium.”
Union earned the 0-0 they needed.
They secured promotion to the Bundesliga.
“The fans poured onto the pitch, and they cried like babies.
“I was the culmination of everything.
“All these years of misery, everything they have given, everything they have done for their club. Whether it was the rebuilding of the stadium or the rescuing of the club itself, everything had led up to this moment.”
The Union supporters were just as much of an essential part of the promotion as the players.
Something the players recognised as they celebrated promotion with the fans rather than the fans celebrating with the players.
Union Berlin made history as they became the first football club from the old East Berlin to reach the Bundesliga.
An achievement that most Unioners had never dreamed possible.
But little did they know, this was only the beginning of their remarkable rise.
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