Karlsruher SC - Union Berlin

Both teams were counted to the promotion candidates before the Season form the Experts but both could not convince so far. They are far from good at the moment and a lot of problems are there by both. KSC has 3 defeats already and two wins and coming to Braunschweig before the national break and were absolutely trashed there with 0-6. This was one of the biggest disappointments from them after losing relegation battle to Hamburg. On the other side has Union Berlin only 1 defeat so far but could not win much too. With only 4 draws they are almost at the bottom, only wins let them climb up in the table. After their last game they was not so convinced with the team and Coach Düwel was fired, now they have signed a young and talented Coach who has a lot of experience with young players and also showed his skills in Leverkusen as Head Coach already. The new one Lewandowski should lead them to a better future after the project Düwel failed.

All in Karlsruhe are very helpless and they can not explain why they had lost 0-6 to Braunschweig before the break. According to the long national break they had a lot to suffer on this harsh defeat. But they said that they want revenge what let them maybe more working as a team from today on. Coach Kauczinski mentioned that he does not change much in the long break but he wants to work hard with his team to get much better results after the break. Also they have to be very silent and do their work, nothing else.
Some changes in the starting lineup are more as possible after last game. He has some options in mind but let it more as open therefore we must gamble a bit with. First one can be that Valentini who is back form injury and 100% fit replace Prömel on the right back wing. Also on the other back wing we may have a change where Kempe has the better chances as Sallahi who had an average day in Braunschweig. Also new signing Gouaida stands before his starting debut after only coming in against Braunschweig. Very doubtful is if Barry is in the starting lineup but he face a slight injury anyway. For him can play Yamada and may play on his lovely position central in midfield where he had his best matches. New signing Diamantakos is also in the squad and a good option as joker, if they need some power in attack.

New Coach Lewandowski has not changed much in the break, he has done the work what Düwel has still planned. They were in trainings camp where he has the time to meet his new team well. They trained very hard with his team there and he hopes that they can allow him to bring his idea already on the pitch today. He wants to see fighting spirit, self confidence and some good solutions in close actions. Also some of the work he has done in trainings camp with tactic, system and so on.
To begin he can not count on all players because with Kessel and Brandy are two suspended while Thiel, Schönheim, Nikci and Daube are all injured. Compared to the last game in Leipzig where 3 of the injured players were in the starting lineup he has to search for alternatives now. For Schönheim could be Puncec an alternative but this means that Parensen moves form the central back on the left wing. In offensive for Thiel and Brandy are Korte and Quiring the next options he has. More changes are still possible but with less alternatives according to the 6 missing player is very hard. Maybe for more compactness he counts on two players in central midfield, Kreilach of course plays beside Fürstner then. Zejnullahu would be out of the team then although he has showed some uptrend in recent matches. Overall it is not an easy first game for Lewandowski to find the right solutions.