1. FC Union Berlin ended the first Champions League participation in its club history with a defeat, but with great dignity. In the last group game, the Köpenick team lost 2-3 to Spanish record champions Real Madrid. They also missed their target of getting into the Europa League, as they would only have passed Portuguese representatives Sporting Braga if they had won.
But what remained was the impression of a team that had demanded everything from the great Real Madrid, just like in the first premier class game at the Bernabéu Stadium in September. To put it positively: 1. FC Union can fully concentrate on the relegation battle in the Bundesliga next year.
Luka Modric misses a penalty
It will remain an unsolvable mystery as to what transformation 1. FC Union underwent every time it appeared in the Champions League. This was also the case on Tuesday against Real Madrid, who are known to be the hegemon of the Champions League. Yes, the Madrilenians’ coach, the Italian Carlo Ancelotti, rotated so much that it was difficult to speak of a best team. For the first time since 2019, there were six Spaniards in the starting eleven. But 1. FC Union also had little to do with the team that had strung together an incredible 16 games without a win until last Saturday.
Quite the opposite: Union started the game as if they wanted to honor the recently deceased singer of the Irish punk band The Pogues, Shane MacGowan, dedicate a footballing tribute. Because it was as if the people of Köpenick wanted to drink the game away like MacGowan once drank pints in the pubs.
After 55 seconds, Madrid goalkeeper Kepa had to save against Kevin Behrens, and in the second minute Paul Jaeckel was close to maneuvering the ball into the goal from close range. Only gradually did the highly favored Madrilenians begin to let the ball run through their ranks with great confidence – and create chances for themselves. Jude Bellingham was denied by goalkeeper Rönnow after a nice chip ball from Lucas Vázquez; In the 16th minute, center forward Joselu put a header on the crossbar from Fran García’s cross; Valverde put a free kick from 23 meters just wide of the goal, and in the 43rd minute Joselu missed ahead of Rönnow after Robin Gosens played a disastrous bad pass into the Union penalty area.
Union’s players stand in the curve in front of their fans.
(Photo: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
From Berlin’s perspective, the final phase of the first half was so exhilarating that MacGowan would have been delighted. Diogo Leite caused a clear hand penalty – yes, such a thing exists – but the Croatian world-class director Luka Modric missed, miserably by his standards. In return, Union took the lead – which was absurd at the time. After a ricochet from Real defender David Alaba, Kevin Volland prevailed against Lucas Vázquez – and scored. Because Braga was behind against Napoli, it was a goal that would have qualified Union for the Europa League.
Not that that had any meaning for Carlo Ancelotti. But the former Bayern coach reacted. And ordered Toni Kroos onto the pitch to help Modric get the Madrilenians back in order and create pressure. They reached it. But they also meant that Union goalkeeper Rönnow grew into a giant.
The Dane parried a scissor strike from Lucas Vázquez from 18 meters (50th). Above all, Rönnow was there when Rodrygo headed the ball towards goal from four meters. After a precise cross from Bellingham, he had the presence of mind to raise his left arm and direct the ball over the crossbar in the style of a handball goalkeeper (55th).
Six minutes later, however, Rönnow was powerless. Because Joselu won a hook-and-eye dogfight against Robin Knoche after a cross – and headed the ball into the goal to make it 1-1. The decision stood up to scrutiny by the video referee. The equalizer was, as they say on such occasions, deserved. On the other hand, it was the kind of goal that probably wouldn’t have been scored in favor of a visiting team at Real Madrid’s Bernabéu Stadium.
Shortly after Berliner Antonio Rüdiger stepped onto the pitch at Real Madrid, Real Madrid took the lead. Left-back Fran García, who had recently made it into the Spanish national team, broke through on the left and crossed to the first post. And Joselu stood there again to head the ball into the goal again.
Had a good day: Union goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow made a strong save against Real Madrid.
(Photo: Odd Andersen/AFP)
Now it was Union coach Nenad Bjelica who reacted. Paul Jaeckl, Robin Gosens and Rani Khedira had to make way for Sheraldo Becker, Alex Kral and Aïssa Laïdouni in a three-man change; Shortly afterwards, Brendan Aaronson and Christopher Trimmel came on for Kevin Volland and Josip Juranovic. Union actually took a step forward. And went on a desperate search for an equalizer, which actually came – with a low shot from Kral from 18 meters that hit the bottom left, out of reach for Kepa (85th). Just one more goal and Union would have wintered in Europe. But shortly after Rönnow had the upper hand on a 17-meter shot from Kroos, Dani Ceballos destroyed Unioner’s hopes of a place in the Europa League – with a low shot from 15 meters through the legs of Roussillon, which hit the bottom left.