Union Berlin vs Borussia Dortmund Preview: Where to Watch, Buy Tickets, Live Stream & Team News

Borussia Dortmund will go in search of a fourth straight victory to start the new season when they travel to the German capital to face Union Berlin this

Borussia Dortmund will go in search of a fourth straight victory to start the new season when they travel to the German capital to face Union Berlin this weekend.

A late revival saw the Yellow and Blacks take the points away at Koln last weekend, Jadon Sancho getting a goal and an assists to help his side to a 3-1 win. They were far from their best against the Billy Goats, but still managed to secure a result thanks to a couple moments of individual brilliance.

Matthias Hangst/GettyImages

Lucien Favre's men top the Bundesliga table after two triumphs in their first two fixtures, whilst a first-rate performance against Bayern Munich ended in a 2-0 victory in the DFL Supercup at the beginning of August.

Union have one point following a 4-0 crushing at the hands of RB Leipzig on the opening weekend, and a 1-1 draw away to Augsburg the Saturday after.

Where to Watch

When is Kick Off?	Saturday 31 August
What Time is Kick Off?	17:30 (BST)
Where is it Played?	Stadion An der Alten Forsterei
TV Channel/Live Stream?	BT Sport 2
Referee?	Marco Fritz

Where to Buy Tickets

Tickets for the game are, as ever, available on both teams' official club websites, though membership is required in order to purchase. In terms of resale, both teams provide the option to make season tickets available for others to use, if a supporter is unable to attend the game themselves.

Team News

The hosts have a fully-fit squad, though centre-back Keven Schlotterbeck is suspended, having been sent off in the stalemate with Augsburg.

Three teenagers are unavailable for Favre, with defender Mateu Morey, goalkeeper Luca Unbehaun and midfielder Patrick Osterhage all out until October.

Lars Baron/GettyImages

Thorgan Hazard is the only starter to miss the match at Stadion An der Alten Forsterei. The winger bruised a rib against Koln, though his absence is merely a precaution.

Potential Lineups

Union Berlin	Gikiewicz; Trimmel, Subotic, Friedrich, Lenz; Becker, Andrich, Promel, Bulter; Ujah, Ingvartsen
Borussia Dortmund	Burki; Piszczek, Akanji, Hummels, Schulz; Wistel, Weigl; Sancho, Reus, Brandt; Alcacer.

Head to Head Record

This will be just the third meeting of the two sides in history, Dortmund winning two cup clashes in 2016 and 2018.

Christian Pulisic - who has since been sold to Chelsea for £58m - opened the scoring in December as he scrambled the ball home to break Berlin's resistance. 

Sebastian Polter levelled shortly after the hour with a trickling toe-poke, only for Maximilian Phillip to rifle a fierce effort into the roof of the net to restore the Yellow and Black's lead.

Marco Reus’s 120th-minute penalty broke Union Berlin hearts and sent Borussia Dortmund stumbling into the third round of the German Cup with an epic 3-2 win on Wednesday. #BorrusiaDortmund

https://t.co/WVRGoLSjLR pic.twitter.com/5rA0ZTFKi1

— PrimeView TV (@primeviewtvzw) November 1, 2018

However, Favre's recruits were pegged back by Polter once more, the striker powering an 88th-minute header past Marwin Hitz.

It would take a senseless foul from Marvin Friedrich for Dortmund to finally secure their progression in the DFB Pokal. The central defender tugged Pulisic back with 120 seconds left of extra time, allowing Marco Reus to send his side into the next round with an ice-cool spot-kick.

Recent Form

Despite the scoreline, Dortmund's victory at Koln was anything but comfortable. They were bullied for much of the contest and can count themselves extremely fortunate to have taken one point, let alone three.

Nevertheless, champions find a way to win and they remain at the top of the table going into matchweek three. They will hope to keep up their free-scoring form in Berlin as they lock horns with another of the newly promoted clubs.

Achraf Hakimi was five years old when Lukasz Piszczek made his professional debut 🔃

Fifteen years later, they're quite the duo 🤝 pic.twitter.com/NNOH0F7LPn

— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) August 27, 2019

Union had to dig deep and show resolve to get a result at Augsburg after going behind. Still, their vulnerable underbelly was exposed in devastating fashion by Leipzig and their opponents on Saturday will surely look to take advantage of a vulnerable backline.

Here's how the clubs got on in their last five fixtures.

Union Berlin	Borussia Dortmund
Union Berlin 0-3 Celta Vigo (03/8)	Borussia Dortmund 2-0 Bayern Munich (03/8)
Halberstadt 0-6 Union Berlin (11/8)	Uerdingen 0-2 Borussia Dortmund (09/8)
Lichtenberg 1-4 Union Berlin (12/8)	Pruessen Munster 0-4 Borussia Dortmund (10/8)
Union Berlin 0-4 Red Bull Leipzig (18/8)	Dortmund 5-1 Augsburg (17/8)
Augsburg 1-1 Union Berlin (24/8)	Koln 1-3 Borussia Dortmund (23/8)

Prediction

One side are aiming to topple the illustrious Bayern Munich this season, the other would be satisfied with finishing one place above the relegation zone. It should be obvious which are favourites.

Stuart Franklin/GettyImages

They may have been sluggish last time out, but Dortmund should have more than enough to see off the men from the capital, who will struggle to contain the terrifying attacking options at Favre's disposal.

Prediction: Union Berlin 0-3 Borussia Dortmund