Union vs Espanyol prediction, H2H and probable lineups - August 2, 2025
One of Saturday’s friendlies will take place in Berlin, where local side Union hosts Spanish club Espanyol. I’m backing a bet on goals in this clash, with a good chance for a winning outcome.
Match preview
Union Berlin is wrapping up a busy summer, having already played six games—ranging from a 9-1 thrashing of Brandenburg to a recent defeat against Schweinfurt (0-1). Despite a few wins in July, Union have failed to impress in their last three friendlies, failing to win any of them. Even more concerning is that the Iron Ones have scored just once across those three matches, raising questions about their attacking potential.
It’s clear that Steffen Baumgart’s squad is searching for the right balance between physical condition and tactical discipline. Last season, the Iron Ones finished the Bundesliga campaign strongly, securing top-flight survival. In the final round against Augsburg, Union snatched a victory in the 94th minute, but their inconsistency in the second half of the season and a drop in home results are worrying signs.
Espanyol ended last season 14th in La Liga, showing little attacking spark—just 40 goals in 38 matches. Nevertheless, the club has looked sharp in preseason: three wins from their last four games, including a convincing 4-1 victory over Peralada, as well as wins against Southampton (2-1) and Wolfsburg (2-1). Notably, the win over a strong Bundesliga opponent is a testament to Espanyol’s current level of preparation.
Even with a draw against Girona, the Parakeets have hit impressive form in July. The head coach has managed to build a compact defense—just one goal conceded in their last three outings. Meanwhile, the attack has also come alive, especially in matches against British and German opposition.
Probable lineups
- Union: Rønnow; Døehki, Kverfeld, Vogt; Trimmel, Schäfer, Khedira, Haberer, Juranović; Hollerbach, Ilić
- Espanyol: Dmitrovic — Bausa, Inojo, Romero — Lozano, Milla, Rubio, Sanchez, Terraz — Fernandez Jean, El-Khiyali
Match facts
- The teams have never met before on the pitch
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in two of Betis’s last five matches
- The "Over 2.5 goals" bet has landed in just one of Union’s last five matches
Prediction
Espanyol have looked solid defensively in their summer friendlies and are unlikely to allow Union much freedom—especially as Union have struggled even against lower-tier German sides. Our pick for this match is "Under 2.5 goals" at odds of 1.78.
