Mauro Lustrinelli flags Union Berlin’s defence after ten goals conceded

Union Berlin’s defensive frailties have left them on just one point after three Bundesliga fixtures, and a 1‑3 home loss to Schalke on Friday has intensified pressure on head coach Mauro Lustrinelli. The club have now conceded ten goals in those three matches.

Opening three games expose defensive cracks

The season began with a chaotic 3‑3 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, followed by a comprehensive 4‑0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen, and culminated in the 1‑3 loss to Schalke. Those results have left Union with a solitary point and a worrying goal‑conceding record.

Against Frankfurt, Emmanuel Latte Lath struck four minutes into his Bundesliga debut, but Union rallied. Leopold Querfeld and Tim Skarke eventually salvaged a point from a 3‑1 deficit, highlighting both attacking promise and defensive vulnerability.

The Leverkusen encounter proved even harsher. The visitors opened the scoring after just 44 seconds – the earliest Bundesliga goal Union have ever allowed – and added three more before halftime. Lustrinelli switched his centre‑back pairing for the second half, yet the damage was already done.

Friday’s clash with Schalke saw Soufiane El‑Faouzi deliver a wide cross that Querfeld failed to clear, allowing former Union player Robin Gosens to head home the opening goal. A second goal followed a similar pattern, underscoring the recurring issue of conceding from crosses.

Pre‑season changes yet to stabilise the back

Pre‑season analysis highlighted Union’s defensive instability as Lustrinelli experimented with multiple formations, moving away from the three‑centre‑back system of the Urs Fischer era. Danilho Doekhi and Diogo Leite left on free transfers, while Zeno Van Den Bosch, Marvin Friedrich and Felix Uduokhai arrived as replacements.

Lustrinelli has already tried all three possible pairings involving Van Den Bosch, Leopold Querfeld and Uduokhai, but none has delivered the required solidity.

“It’s a lot of small things,” Lustrinelli told Sky Germany after the Schalke defeat. “We’re too undisciplined, we’re not keeping up with the opponent and they profit. We need too many chances to score goals – those two things decide the match.”