When Borussia Dortmund hosts Union Berlin at Signal Iduna Park on Saturday, they will be looking to rescue their Bundesliga season.
Dortmund entered the weekend in 11th position with 29 points, barely five points and two spots above of Union Berlin, after suffering a crushing 2-0 loss to second-last VfL Bochum on February 15.
In their frantic first half against Bochum, BVB gave up two goals, but their second half performance was lackluster as they only managed one shot on goal and 0.46 xG.
The home team has now picked the ball out of their own net 16 times in their previous seven Bundesliga games and let up at least two goals in six of those games.
Head coach Niko Kovac deserves credit for guiding his team to a goalless draw against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League on Wednesday, securing a 3-0 aggregate victory to reach the round of 16.
Since taking over in January following Nuri Sahin’s departure, Kovac has managed just four games, suffering defeats in both of his Bundesliga matches at the helm of Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund has won three of their last six matches across all competitions, with two losses and one draw, but their Bundesliga form remains concerning, having lost five of their last seven league fixtures.
Their home record at Signal Iduna Park has also been underwhelming, with only one win in their last eight home games, alongside three defeats and four draws.
Union suffered a 2-1 defeat against Borussia Monchengladbach on February 15, with their performance reflecting their struggles. Their only clear opportunity came in the 63rd minute when Andrej Ilic converted a penalty to cut the deficit to 2-1.
The visitors have struggled in attack, failing to find the net in four of their last seven matches. With just 21 goals scored, they hold the joint second-worst attacking record in the league.
In their first league match of the season, Die Eisernen defeated Dortmund 2-1 on October 5 after playing outstanding defense and limiting BVB to only one significant opportunity.
In his past five Bundesliga games, manager Steffen Baumgart has supervised two defeats, two wins, and one draw, assisting his club in accumulating more points than they had in their previous eleven games.
Union's most recent away game was a 4-0 victory against Hoffenheim on February 8, but they had lost all seven of their prior away games.
