By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- There's a reason Union Berlin has turned into a crowd-pleaser beyond the borders of the German capital.
The club's calm approach is next to the steady upswing, taking an underdog to the first tier and introducing an unusual side to the international stage.
Images of fans helping modernize the arena with their own hands and joint ventures of fans bringing sofas from home to the pitch to celebrate atmospheric Christmas parties tell a unique story.
The reputation of being a counterexample to ordinary clubs in the high-pressure business of professional football has become legendary.
After finishing fourth in the past league season along with the sensational qualification for the UEFA 2023/24 Champions League, things seem to have come to a hold.
Four league defeats after six rounds of matches might partially tell the tale of a club that made enormous efforts to survive a season filled with unknown challenges on the big stage of football such as the Champions League.
Being placed in a tough group with the giants of Real Madrid and Napoli, aside from this Tuesday's opponent Braga, doesn't make things easier for Swiss coaching icon Urs Fischer, who initiated the stunning journey up since 2018.
Ten new arrivals and 16 players having left seem to have triggered instability, while others believe it simply takes time to regain composure.
Indeed, Union is busy finding its way back to what made the team a force over the past years such as an unbreakable fighting spirit, a solid defense, and effective counterattacks.
Opponents might have adjusted their approach to the Union style and acted more carefully. Having to conduct the game against more cautious opponents seems a challenge despite prominent new players such as former Inter full-back Robin Gosens and former Juve star Leonardo Bonucci.
Changing the tactical approach from a 5-3-2 into a 5-2-3 system to strengthen the wings isn't yet working to the coach's satisfaction. Union is running short of goals and the team's balance seems in danger.
New strikers such as Chelsea loan player Fofana seem to need time to get used to the procedures in the German league.
Established forward Geraldo Becker demands more efficiency "but if you don't score goals things get difficult." The Dutch-Surinam attacker hopes "we can return to a team-effort driven performance that made us strong for that long."
Sporting director Oliver Ruhnert laments the loss of experienced players such as Rani Khedira and Robin Knoche. "The transition is entirely put on the shoulders of the new arrivals; that makes things more difficult as the frame is missing," Ruhnert said.
The duel against Braga, the presumed weakest opponent in the group, might deliver the chance for the struggling Berlin side to gain confidence and at least head for third place in the group, which comes with qualification for the Euro League.
As Union has never been a team to give up on things despite obstacles in the way, fans hope that things will shortly turn for the better for the Union football family. ■
