German Bundesliga
2026-08-29 - Union Berlin vs Eintracht Frankfurt
A Sports Betting Pick by Niko
Football; Germany: Bundesliga
Stadion An der Alten Försterei – Berlin
Saturday, 29th August 2026 - kickoff 15:30 CET
Union Berlin
Union Berlin have started a new chapter under new coach Mauro Lustrinelli, and the early signs suggest the playing style will be different.
The Swiss coach wants a more attacking team, built around vertical football and high pressing rather than the cautious approach Union Berlin have been known for in the past few seasons.
His first competitive game brought a 4-2 DFB Cup win over Eintracht Braunschweig, although Union Berlin had to come from behind twice before Marin Ljubicic's late double settled it.
That makes this a particularly interesting first Bundesliga test. Union Berlin were inconsistent in pre-season, but they did score freely in several games, including a 4-2 win over Aris Limassol.
The home crowd at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei is another factor, and Union Berlin have gone unbeaten in their last five against Eintracht Frankfurt, winning two and drawing three.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Eintracht Frankfurt could not have made a louder start to Adi Hütter's second spell as head coach.
They destroyed fifth-tier St. Tönis 11-0 in the DFB Cup, with ten goals coming before half-time. That easy win showed exactly what coach Hütter wants from this team: aggressive, direct and quick in front of goal.
The cup result needs to be taken with a pinch of salt because of the huge difference in quality, but Eintracht Frankfurt's pre-season was encouraging too.
They won five of six games before the 7-0 defeat to Brentford, including a 2-0 win over Hull City. Jonathan Burkardt gives them a proven Bundesliga goalscorer, while new arrivals such as Raphael Onyedika add more options in midfield.
There is one useful team-news point for bettors: Farès Chaïbi trained normally after taking a knock in the cup, so he looks available. Eintracht Frankfurt's predicted XI also has Burkardt leading the attack, while Union could be without goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow and a few squad players.
The Betting Verdict
This is much closer in the market than the two cup results might suggest. Union Berlin are around 2.45, the draw around 3.50 and Eintracht Frankfurt around 2.70, so the bookies see very little between them.
I like the goals more than picking a winner. Adi Hütter wants Eintracht Frankfurt to play with more intensity, while Lustrinelli is trying to make Union Berlin more attacking. Both sides also scored four or more in their cup openers.
Recent head-to-head form is another reason not to overcomplicate this. Union Berlin have avoided defeat in the last five meetings against the Frankfurt team, but four of those five produced goals from both teams. The latest meeting at this ground finished 1-1.
My obvious betting suggestion here is taking both sides to score.
The Statistics :
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The Pick :
Union Berlin 2-2 Eintracht Frankfurt
BEST BETTING TIP :
Take both teams to score: YES at odds of 1.53 at BetFred
