Union Berlin vs Hoffenheim | Football Previews & Free Betting Tips | 13th September 2025

Alte Försterei on a Saturday — tight stands, noise right on top of you — and a tidy early-season barometer for both sides. Union Berlin have opened with a thumping cup win, a gritty home success, then a reality check away at Dortmund. Hoffenheim have already shown both sides of themselves: front-foot and dangerous, but not flawless.

Tactical snapshot: Union are typically a compact 3-5-2 that becomes a 5-3-2 without the ball; direct when it’s on, heavy set-piece traffic and quick into the box. Hoffenheim trend towards a 3-4-2-1/4-2-3-1 hybrid, happy to keep it and work wide overloads, with Kramarić roaming between the lines and runners spinning off the shoulder. It’s Union’s aggression and restarts against Hoffenheim’s combination play and rotations.

Union Berlin

Doubts: Josip Juranović (fitness check), Diogo Leite (match sharpness). Available core: Rønnow should start behind a back three featuring Doekhi with Rothe/Köhn at wing-back options; Kemlein/Khedira anchor midfield with energy from Král or Haberer; up top Jeong can float off a focal nine such as Andrej Ilič or Marin Ljubičić, with Tim Skarke/Oliver Burke offering running power from the bench.

Hoffenheim

Injured/likely out: Valentin Gendrey, Adam Hložek, Koki Machida. Available core: Baumann in goal; Kabak plus Bernardo/Hajdari to marshal the defence; Burger with Prömel for control; Kramarić the free piece in attack alongside Bebou or Lemperle, with Asllani and Moerstedt offering penalty-box presence.

Union (last 10, all comps): 5–2–3, goals 18 for and 11 against (1.8 scored / 1.1 conceded). Three clean sheets. Their matches trend lively — half of those ten saw both teams score — and they remain a menace from dead balls.

Hoffenheim (last 10, all comps): 5–2–3, goals 22 for and 14 against (2.2 scored / 1.4 conceded). Two clean sheets. Plenty of goal threat, particularly when transitions click and Kramarić gets touches around the area.

Read of the game: Union will try to narrow the pitch and fight for second balls; Hoffenheim will fancy the channels behind wing-backs. First goal feels huge.

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Union at home: typically rugged and very committed in duels; they squeeze territory through throw-ins and set-plays and feed off the crowd. When they edge in front, they’re stubborn.

Hoffenheim away: comfortable on the ball and not shy about risk; their best moments come when they drag the block wide then attack the gap between centre-back and wing-back.

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Union – Woo-yeong Jeong: drifts cleverly into half-spaces and is sharp attacking the near post. His movement can unhinge a back three.

Hoffenheim – Andrej Kramarić: still the reference point. Finds pockets, picks passes and carries a constant goal threat from range or in the box.

Union Berlin 1–1 Hoffenheim. Union’s set-plays and physical edge should create moments, but Hoffenheim’s craft in wide areas and Kramarić’s guile balance it out. A competitive share of the points feels the percentage play.

Main pick: Both Teams To Score – Yes. Both sides’ 10-game pictures show frequent goal trades and neither profile screams shut-out.

Value angle: Draw. Stylistic stalemate potential with Union’s set-play threat matched by Hoffenheim’s counterpunch.