Union Berlin draw the consequences of their precarious position in the table. One day after the defeat against VfL Bochum, the Bundesliga club has dismissed its coach.
With their 4-3 win at the Alte Försterei on Sunday, VfL Bochum took a big step towards staying out of the relegation zone – and further exacerbated Union Berlin’s relegation worries. After the home defeat, the Köpenickers are now just one point off the relegation places.
And so they are now drawing the consequences: Head coach Nenad Bjelica and his coaching team were released on Monday. Marco Grote will take over as interim coach for the remaining two match days. Together with assistant coach Marie-Louise Eta and Sebastian Bönig as assistant coach, he is supposed to save Union.
“In the fight to stay in the Bundesliga, we need the strength of the entire club and, of course, that of our team,” explained President Dirk Zingler. “We trust Marco Grote and his team to lead our players back to their performance limits in order to make the remaining games until the end of the season a success.”
Managing director Oliver Ruhnert spoke of a “fresh impetus”. Even before the Bochum game, the media reported that a separation from Bjelica in the summer was a done deal. Now it will happen before then. The 52-year-old only took over from long-time coach Urs Fischer in November after a desolate start to the season
However, he was only able to temporarily stabilize Union, who had crashed from Champions League contenders to relegation candidates. In 20 Bundesliga games under Bjelica, the “Irons” recorded six wins, five draws and nine defeats (points average 1.15).
Grote is now the U19 coach of the traditional club. He stepped in after Fischer’s departure and before Bjelica’s appointment. “I’m looking forward to the task and am convinced that we will manage to stay in the league. I know our team well and know that we are capable of picking up the necessary points if we join forces,” explained the 51-year-old.
On the remaining matchdays, Union will first travel to 1. FC Köln (Saturday, 3.30 p.m.) before a home game against SC Freiburg in the season finale.