Baumgart's debut defeat: Union Berlin defies frost!

Steffen Baumgart committed his debut as the new coach of 1. FC Union Berlin with a defeat. On January 6, 2025, the team played against Holstein Kiel and lost 1-2. The coach celebrated his 53rd birthday in the stadium on the old forester's shop, where the friendly at cool -1 degrees Celsius and wetness took place in front of almost 9,000 spectators.

Baumgart, who was presented as the new head coach on January 2, would like to rely on intensity in training and first get an overview of the players and conditions. He chose a chain for the test game and Alexander Schwolow started in the goal because Frederik Rönnow was injured. Holstein Kiel opened the game with a goal by Armin Gigovic, who scored after a chopping trick by Phil Harres. Union Berlin was able to compensate for Yorbe, but Kiel scored the winning goal by Fiete Arp.

Baumgart's approach and expectations

Although the result for Baumgart was unsatisfactory, he stated that he had seen a good game with a high level of intensity. The team of 1st FC Union Berlin has been waiting for a win for nine competitive games. Baumgart was recently appointed the successor to Bo Svensson, which was released by his post. Horst Heldt, director of men's professional football at Union, explained that Baumgart was the right coach for the club, because his leadership style and his ability to develop players were decisive factors for the choice.

Baumgart brings experience from the Bundesliga and knows Union well. He doesn't have to familiarize himself for long and can quickly set clear directions. Previously, he was a coach at Hamburger SV, where he was released in November. In his new role, Baumgart is optimistic and emphasizes the need for intensive preparation with the players. In Union, he sees good conditions for success and intends to optimally use them.