SV Werder will travel to 1. FC Union Berlin for the last match of the 2022/23 season on Saturday (27/5, 15:30 CEST). After securing their place in the Bundesliga in the 1-1 draw against Köln, the Green-Whites can play with freedom, but that is precisely why SVW are determined to give everything in the game to end a successful season on a positive note.
Squad news: As was said on Tuesday, Christian Groß (knee) and Mitchell Weiser (muscle) will miss the final game of the season. The same goes for Dikeni Salifou, Felix Agu and Amos Pieper, who will not return until the pre-season at the earliest. Jens Stage will also have to miss out due to a yellow card suspension. At the press conference on Thursday, Ole Werner announced that Niclas Füllkrug will be in the squad for the game against Union.
Head coach Ole Werner on the opposition: “Union are rightly playing to qualify for the Champions League. They have a team that has international experience and has been playing at this top level for years. In addition, they are very strong at home. We are gearing up for an away game at one of the best teams in the league. To score, we will definitely need a top performance.”
Previous meetings: Since FCU’s promotion to the Bundesliga in summer 2019, the two teams have met five times in the league. Union have the edge in the most recent statistics. SVW have won one match, with Union victorious on the other four occasions. The last meeting went to the hosts on matchday 17, when the Green-Whites lost 2-1 at the wohninvest WESERSTADION.
Strong in the air: SV Werder have scored the second most headers (12) so far this season. Only 1. FC Union Berlin managed one more goal in the air. Both teams also proved their aerial prowess in the reverse fixture. Amos Pieper headed in to give the Green-Whites the lead, Kevin Behrens also scored with his head to make the final score 2-1.
On course for the trophy: With 16 goals in the season to date, Niclas Füllkrug continues to lead the scoring charts ahead of the final matchday. Werder’s number 11 could become the first Green-White to top score in the Bundesliga since Miroslav Klose in 2006. The four closest rivals each have 14 goals.
