Preview: Borussia Monchengladbach vs Union Berlin - prediction, team news, lineups

Borussia Monchengladbach appear to be sleepwalking into a Bundesliga relegation battle, and they will be desperate to shake off their poor run of form when they host Union Berlin this Saturday afternoon.

Die Eisernen are not exactly flying themselves, but they did end their recent winless run with a victory over Bayer Leverkusen last weekend and will arrive at Borussia Park with a bit of momentum.

Match preview

Sitting just two points above the bottom three, the situation for Borussia Monchengladbach is becoming incredibly worrying as we approach the business end of the season.

Gladbach have tumbled down the standings owing to a seven-match winless run, which includes four disappointing defeats - one of which came against Freiburg last weekend.

Eugen Polanski’s side last tasted victory at the start of January, and they have since picked up three points out of a possible 21 - a woeful haul which has seen them fall to 14th in the table.

Worrying times call for drastic measures, and one of the unusual changes made by the head coach in recent times was moving training sessions to Borussia Park.

Polanski is looking to rediscover the spark that saw his side win three straight Bundesliga games in November, though doing so may be tricky considering Die Fohlen have only managed to score four times in their last seven matches.

Union Berlin will travel to Monchengladbach on the back of a surprise 1-0 victory over red-hot Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.

That result marked Union’s first Bundesliga victory since December, and it ended their seven-match winless run - one which consisted of four frustrating draws.

Despite enduring that long wait for a victory, the Iron Ones remain in a pretty safe position in the standings, sitting in ninth spot and eight points above the bottom three.

Die Eisernen could still do with a handful of victories between now and the end of the season, though that is not the main topic of conversation in the capital at the moment.

Instead, the big talking point concerns Union’s potential stadium redevelopment and a possible temporary move to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium in 2027 - the home of arch-rivals Hertha.

The club’s most vocal fans gave their reaction to the news last weekend, producing a banner during the match with Leverkusen which read: "My home. No one can leave here. The Alte Forsterei, this is the only place. You're not enough for others. But for us, you're perfect."

Whether president Dirk Zingler takes notice of the disgruntled fanbase remains to be seen, though for head coach Steffen Baumgart the priority is to secure back-to-back Bundesliga wins for the first time since December.

Borussia Monchengladbach Bundesliga form:

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Union Berlin Bundesliga form:

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Team News

Monchengladbach head into the weekend with several injury worries lingering over the squad.

Forward Tim Kleindienst has been out for most of the season following knee surgery, and he will be joined on the sidelines by a smattering of other names.

Nathan Ngoumou is still recovering from his Achilles tendon rupture, while Giovanni Reyna has ongoing muscular problems.

Alejo Sarco is carrying a torn ankle, and Robin Hack is facing a race against time to be fit for the weekend.

Rocco Reitz is set for a return after a one-game suspension, while Yannik Engelhardt is just one booking away from facing punishment.

Union Berlin are also facing problems ahead of the weekend, with a handful of players set to watch the game from the sidelines.

Diogo Leite is struggling with his thigh, Josip Juranovic has a calf problem, and Tom Rothe is on his way back, as is Robert Skov.

Andrej Ilic will be suspended after picking up five yellow cards, and Scotsman Oliver Burke is expected to replace him.

Borussia Monchengladbach possible starting lineup:

Nicolas; Takai, Elvedi, Diks; Scally, Reitz, Sander, Engelhardt, Ullrich; Honorat, Tabakovic

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:

Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Nsoki; Trimmel, Khedira, Kemlein, Kohn; Ansah, Jeong; Burke