Union Berlin – Napoli: Kvara Magic Rescues Napoli (0-1)

Napoli secured three points in a hard-fought battle in the Berlin rain. Both teams lacked attacking quality, but on balance, Union Berlin were marginally the better team. However, the tide turned in Napoli’s favor thanks to a moment of brilliance from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.
 Tactical analysis and match report by Rahul Madhavan.

Union Berlin and Napoli had a stellar campaign last season, each punching above their weight and achieving huge successes. However, this time around, both teams seem to be grappling with a hangover from their past achievements, as they’ve encountered considerable difficulties in replicating their form.

The Italian champions have faced challenges under their new manager, Rudi Garcia. They are currently fourth in Serie A, trailing league leaders Inter by five points. While Napoli have shown dominance against lower-caliber teams, they have struggled when competing against quality opponents. The defeats to Fiorentina, Real Madrid, and Lazio certainly underline their failure to perform when the going gets tough.

In contrast, Union Berlin started the season with three consecutive victories but have since suffered an eight-game losing run. Over the past two months, Urs Fischer has faced scrutiny and there is a feeling that his tenure as a Union manager has run its course. Similar to Rudi Garcia, he is also under pressure to deliver, making this game a potentially decisive moment for both managers.

For Union, Frederik Rønnow started in goal, while Danilho Doekhi, Robin Knoche, and Diogo Leite played as the back three. Christopher Trimmel and Robin Gosens continued to play as wing-backs, while Brenden Aaronson, Rani Khedira, and Janik Haberer comprised the midfield three. Meanwhile, David Fofana partnered with Sheraldo Becker upfront.

Garcia made no changes . . .