Union Berlin vs Mainz 05

Stadion An der AltenFörsterei is the venue as Union Berlin and Mainz 05 go head-to-head in their opening 2023/24 Bundesliga fixture.

Only four years since earning their maiden Bundesliga promotion, Union Berlin defied all expectations to secure a top-four finish last season and qualify for the Champions League. The club’s phenomenal success has made Stadion An der AltenFörsterei an attractive destination, with Brenden Aaronson, Robin Gosens, Lucas Tousart, and Kevin Volland joining Urs Fischer’s fleet in the summer. A raft of high-profile summer arrivals is supposed to help Union Berlin get off to a more promising league start after opening just one of their four previous top-flight campaigns with a win (D1, L2). ‘Die Eisernen’ dismantled lower-league Astoria Walldorf 4-0 in the first DFB-Pokal round, boosting their bid to maintain an aura of invincibility at home. Indeed, they were the only unbeaten Bundesliga team at home in 2022/23 (W11, D6).

On the other hand, visiting Mainz missed out on a highly coveted European finish by a mere four points last season but still delivered plenty of late drama. Bo Svensson’s side held Borussia Dortmund to a dramatic 2-2 draw on the final weekend, denying ‘Die Borussen’ a first league title in 12 years. That stalemate was part of Mainz’s underwhelming five-game winless run toward the end of last season (D1, L4). Worryingly for the visitors, they conceded a staggering 15 goals during that five-match stretch, highlighting the potential for another disappointing result in Berlin. They’ve lost their last three top-flight visits to Union by an aggregate score of 9-2, conceding multiple goals on each occasion.