Union Berlin experienced a disappointing Bundesliga performance at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday while simultaneously dealing with a cheeky stunt from a social media influencer. The Köpenick club lost the match 4-0 and later responded to a provocative jersey order with a humorous counter of their own.
What happened in the heavy defeat at Leverkusen?
According to a report by FAZ Sport, Union Berlin lost 4-0 to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday. The Werkself dominated the match from the start and took the lead after just 43 seconds through a goal from Ezequiel Fernández. A further strike from Facundo Medina before halftime and goals from Patrik Schick and Ibrahim Maza in the second half sealed the clear defeat for the Berlin side. The team coached by Carles Martinez rarely created dangerous opportunities during the game. Goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow had to save several chances from Leverkusen, but a real opportunity to equalize or even win was never in sight for Union. The Berliners are therefore still waiting for their first win of the season and have one point in the Bundesliga table after one matchday. The current standings show Union in 10th place.
How did the club respond to the jersey prank?
Parallel to the sporting setback, the club dealt with an unusual stunt from social media. As reported by Bild Sport, influencer Daniel Stricker, known as "Lackschuh", ordered a jersey from the Hertha BSC fan shop with the inscription "Berlins Nr. 2". This was a clear dig at their city rivals. Union Berlin delivered the ordered jersey and included a handwritten card that read: "Here you have a jersey from our NUMBER 2!". This referred to the signed jersey of Julian Eitschberger, who wears the number 2 shirt for Union. The club also sent the influencer tickets for a Hertha BSC home match. Stricker had previously tried the same phrase with Union Berlin, to which the Köpenick side responded with a postcard from the "city champions".
What is Union Berlin's Bundesliga status?
The defeat in Leverkusen means Union Berlin sits in tenth place in the Bundesliga with one point from one game. Their record after the first matchday is zero wins, one draw, and one loss. This season, the team has scored three goals and conceded the same number, leaving them with an even goal difference. In the title race, Berlin are already two points behind leaders Bayern Munich. Union's next competitive fixture is the home match against RB Leipzig on November 21, 2026. Leipzig currently occupies fourth place in the table. You can find the exact schedule for the coming weeks on our fixtures page.
What does this mean for the upcoming challenges?
The heavy defeat in Leverkusen will lead to an analysis of defensive work and build-up play. The team must quickly put the mistakes from this game behind them to pick up points in the coming weeks. The defensive stability that was a strength in the past needs to be restored. Looking at the season as a whole, the gap to the top of the table is still minimal. The upcoming matches will show if Union Berlin can rediscover the form from the previous week, when they fought for a 3-3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt. The full squad lineup and current injury news are available on our squad page. The next home game against RB Leipzig on November 21 will be an important test.
