Hertha Berlin vs Union Berlin prediction: GERMANY: Bundesliga betting tips on match 2023-01-27 14:30.
After closing 2022 with a 2-0 win over Cologne, Hertha Berlin have experienced a major backslide to start the new year after losing their opening two matches by a combined score of 8-1. That leaves Hertha occupying an automatic relegation spot, with their total of 14 points being their worst return at the halfway point of the season since 2009/10’s tally of just six, a season which ended in relegation!
Their latest setback was a 5-0 mauling at home at the hands of Wolfsburg, which soured what was a promising run of losing only one of their last six on their own turf prior to that (W2, D3). The Old Lady therefore enter the Berlin derby with a massive discrepancy between them and their high-flying city neighbours Union Berlin as they already trail them by 19 points, with their failure to win any of the last five H2H encounters (D1, L4) also an obstacle to overcome.
Unlike their hosts, Union have come storming back after the season’s resumption, reviving their title challenge by dispatching Hoffenheim 2-1 and Werder Bremen 3-1, respectively, to open 2023. That means Union have now won 50 Bundesliga matches in 119 games, a feat that took them 153 attempts in the second division!
Die Eisernen subsequently boast their best-ever points tally at this stage of a top-flight season with 33, surpassing the 28 points they racked up in 2020/21 after 17 matches. Urs Fischer’s men must be wary of their performances when hitting the road though, having lost their three away Bundesliga matches and conceding 11 goals prior to the Bremen win last time out.
Key battle: Hertha’s Dodi Lukébakio and Union’s Sheraldo Becker are their respective team’s top-scorers with seven Bundesliga goals apiece. Lukébakio has netted his side’s opening goal with each of his league strikes this season, while Becker has only ever been on the losing side once in his career when scoring for Union (W12, D3).
Hot stat: Only four of Union’s last 20 Bundesliga matches have seen a scoreless first half.