In one of the stories of the season anywhere in the top flight of professional football across Europe, Bundesliga outfit Union Berlin has officially qualified for the Champions League to seal their first-ever appearance in the continent’s top club competition.
A 1-0 win over SV Werder Bremen in front of home support at Stadion An der Alten Försterei in the Köpenick locality of the German capital, saw the club finish the memorable 2022-23 league campaign on 62-points; three ahead of high-flying SC Freiburg and just four adrift of burgeoning German outfit RB Leipzig.
Scheisse!!!!
We are in the Champions league.
Eisern and love pic.twitter.com/1MhKEqTpXl
— 1. FC Union Berlin (English) (@fcunion_en) May 27, 2023
It has been a fairytale reality that few – if any – fans could have ever dreamt of apart from making it happen in the virtual world.
After being officially founded in 1966 under its current name and preceded by FC Olympia Oberschöneweide (founded in 1906), Union operated in the lower rungs of the German football pyramid before reaching the third tier in 1991-92 before solidifying themselves in the 2.Bundesliga in 2009 after a previous three-year stint before dropping back down.
The club gained promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in 2019 and immediately finished midtable (11th) during its inaugural season. From then on, the incredibly well-run club has improved its position year after year across the last four seasons while only spending a combined €56m (an average of €14m/season) to achieve its lofty goals.
Since its inaugural campaign, Union had gone on to finish 7th in 2020-21 and 5th last season, all while spending considerably less than those around them.
What Union has achieved this season cannot be understated, and though the club will be adamant a striking a balance between keeping true to not only its roots but its trusted operating systems and remaining capable of placing in the European places year on year, Berlin will remain rocking for weeks to come. And rightfully so.
