Dortmund seeks rebound at Union Berlin after Bremen draw and Bodø/Glimt loss

Borussia Dortmund travel to Union Berlin on Matchday 6 of the Bundesliga season, aiming to recover from recent setbacks and reclaim first place. Manager Niko Kovac has emphasized the need for intensity, telling his squad to "push ourselves to the limit" despite Union's poor form. Dortmund's perfect start to the season ended with a 2–2 home draw against Werder Bremen last weekend after squandering a two-goal lead in the final seven minutes, followed by a 1–0 Champions League defeat to FK Bodø/Glimt on Wednesday. The club remains unbeaten in the Bundesliga with 13 points from five matches, level with leaders SC Freiburg on points but behind on goal difference.

Kovac has downplayed Union's 16th-place standing and recent struggles, noting that his team's last visit to Stadion An der Alten Försterei produced a 3–0 win that "was still a tough battle right up to the last second." Union Berlin earned their first win of the season last weekend, defeating promoted SV Elversberg 1–0 after managing just one point from their opening four matches—their worst start since promotion to the Bundesliga in 2019. Kovac has highlighted Union's intensity, set-piece threat, and historical home record against other opponents as reasons for caution. He warned that teams cannot "coast through" matches in Berlin, recalling how "many teams have already learned that the hard way."

On squad availability, Kovac reported that defender Nico Schlotterbeck has returned to full training after being rested from the midweek Champions League fixture. Long-term absentees Emre Can and Giannis Konstantelias remain sidelined with torn ACLs and are expected to return in 2027, while Justin Lerma continues to recover from a thigh injury. Kovac stated that "everyone is in good shape" and "every single player who's here has the right to play," though he remained vague about his starting XI, saying he would assess which players are "fresh and ready to take on the challenge."

Historically, Dortmund hold a commanding record against Union, with 10 wins in 14 Bundesliga meetings. Notably, all four of Union's victories in the fixture have come at home, with the last away defeat for Dortmund occurring in 2024. In their last three matchups, Dortmund have outscored Union 12–0. Union's squad includes former Dortmund left back Tom Rothe, who has featured in every minute of their Bundesliga campaign so far. An away win would lift Dortmund back to the top of the table ahead of Freiburg's Sunday fixture against Bayer Leverkusen.