Union Berlin sink to 17th after 7-0 Bayern loss

Union Berlin are 17th in the Bundesliga table after 4 matchdays, with 1 point, 0 wins, 1 draw and 3 defeats. The numbers behind that position are ugly: 4 goals scored, 17 conceded, a goal difference of -13.

The damage was done on Friday 18 September, when Union Berlin travelled to Bayern and lost 7-0 on matchday 4. No away side survives that. It was the third straight league defeat, the run now reading 3L, and the full sequence across five games is WDLLL.

Look at how the goals split. Union Berlin have scored 4 times in 4 matches — one goal per game, roughly. At the other end they ship more than four. That is not a bad patch. That is a team being taken apart weekly.

The home and away splits do not rescue anyone either. The club's home record reads 3 wins, 5 draws and 4 defeats; away it is 3, 2 and 8. Whoever is drawing up the plans has the same problem in both columns.

Around them, the Bundesliga is moving fast. Dortmund lead on 12 points with a goal difference of +7, Bayern sit second on 10 and +12, and Freiburg are third on 10. Augsburg hold fourth with 7. The gap between Union Berlin and 4th place is already wider than one result can fix.

The top of the scoring chart offers no comfort. Michael Olise of Bayern has 4 goals, level with Younes Ebnoutalib, Patrik Schick and Yuito Suzuki. Phillip Tietz has 4. None of them play for Union Berlin.

Next comes Union Berlin against Elversberg on Saturday 10 October, matchday 5, at home. Win it and the table still looks grim. Lose it and the questions get louder.

Can a side with -13 on goal difference after 4 games call itself unlucky? No.