10 Goals Conceded in Three Games Forces Mauro Lustrinelli into Defensive Review
Union Berlin have conceded 10 goals in their first three Bundesliga matches of the season, picking up just one point while adapting to a new defensive setup. Head coach Mauro Lustrinelli has moved away from the club’s traditional back-five setup in favor of a flat back four, requiring defenders to cover larger wide spaces and mark opponents more strictly inside the penalty box.
Mauro Lustrinelli shifts Union Berlin from a five-man line to a back four
The tactical change requires two central defenders to manage the width of the penalty area rather than relying on three central defenders to sweep up dangerous balls. Following the summer departures of established defenders Danilho Doekhi and Diogo Leite on free transfers, Lustrinelli has rotated three separate central defensive combinations using Zeno Van Den Bosch, Leopold Querfeld, and Felix Uduokhai. The new pairings have struggled with basic positioning, frequently allowing attackers free headers from wide deliveries and losing concentration immediately after half-time restarts.
Mauro Lustrinelli
coachThis open defensive shape stands in stark contrast to the disciplined back five established under former manager Urs Fischer, which gave Union Berlin structural stability for years and eventually earned them UEFA Champions League qualification. While midfielder Rani Khedira noted that shifting from five defenders to four creates extra space for opponents, he emphasized that individual discipline and winning second balls remain essential regardless of the formation.
Lustrinelli acknowledged these ongoing positional errors following the 3-1 home defeat to Schalke 04, where his team conceded within minutes of the second-half kickoff for the second consecutive match.
Schalke 04
club“We’re too undisciplined. We’re not keeping up with the opponent. And the opponent profits. They exploit it,” Lustrinelli told Sky Germany. “At the moment, it’s simply happening so quickly that a player is losing his marker and then we concede the goal.”
Through three league fixtures, Union Berlin’s defensive statistics highlight the difficulty of finding balance with their updated back line.
| Matchday | Opponent | Result | Goals Conceded | Center-Back Pairing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matchday 1 | Eintracht Frankfurt | 3-3 | 3 | Leopold Querfeld & Zeno Van Den Bosch |
| Matchday 2 | Bayer Leverkusen | 0-4 | 4 | Felix Uduokhai & Zeno Van Den Bosch |
| Matchday 3 | Schalke 04 | 1-3 | 3 | Leopold Querfeld & Felix Uduokhai |
Data and interview quotes sourced via Sky Germany and Get German Football News.