Preview: Union Berlin vs. RB Leipzig - prediction, team news, lineups

Union Berlin entertain RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with the hosts needing to win to guarantee their place in next season's inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League.

Leipzig, meanwhile, will finish in second place regardless of how they perform in Julian Nagelsmann's last game in charge of the club ahead of his summer switch to champions Bayern Munich.

Match preview

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Given that this is still only Union Berlin's second ever season in the Bundesliga in the history of the club, the idea of competing in Europe next season must feel like a dream to their fanbase.

While bigger clubs may be turning their nose up at the prospect of competing in UEFA's newly launched Conference League, that will certainly not be the case for a club the size of Union Berlin, whose only previous European venture was a second-round defeat to Bulgarian side Litex Lovech in the old UEFA Cup in the 2001-02 campaign.

Indeed, Urs Fischer's side have performed above expectations all season long, occupying a top-half position for the vast majority of the campaign.

They showed their trademark spirit to earn a point at Bayer Leverkusen last weekend via Joel Pohjanpalo's late equaliser, although failing to win that match did mean that their dreams of competing in Europe's secondary competition for the second time were ended.

With three sides below them in the table all capable of leapfrogging them on the final day, Union Berlin must beat Leipzig to guarantee their qualification for Europe, while a draw would realistically be enough to secure a maiden top-half position.

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While Leipzig have very little to play for when they arrive in Berlin on Saturday, Nagelsmann's players are likely to want to give the 33-year-old a strong send off after a successful two year period in charge of the club.

This season has ultimately ended in disappointment, with Leipzig finishing as runners-up in both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, but Nagelsmann's time at the club will be seen as nothing but a success, particularly having reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last season.

Their character and quality was on full display last weekend when overturning a two-goal deficit against Champions League-chasing Wolfsburg, with second-half strikes from Justin Kluivert and Marcel Sabitzer ensuring their side are guaranteed to finish second in the Bundesliga for only the second time in the club's history.

Having only won two of their last seven league games in a faltering end to the campaign, Nagelsmann will be keen to show his future club Bayern what they will be gaining with him on board by ending the season in style in Berlin.

Team News

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Union Berlin have been dealt a major blow by Robert Andrich picking up a suspension after receiving his fifth booking of the season against Leverkusen last weekend.

Sebastien Griesbeck is likely to fill the void in the engine room.

Jakob Busk, Florian Hubner, Grischa Promel, Cedric Teuchert, Leon Dajaku and Anthony Ujah may all miss out due to injury.

It remains to be seen whether Dominik Szoboszlai will finally make his debut for Leipzig, meanwhile, with the Hungary winger back in training after recovering from the groin injury which has kept him sidelined since joining from Red Bull Salzburg in January.

Szoboszlai is unlikely to be risked ahead of Euro 2020, though, with Peter Gulacsi, Angelino, Marcel Halstenberg, Dani Olmo, Lazar Samardzic and Tyler Adams all likely to be unavailable, too.

Konrad Laimer made his first start of the season after missing the vast majority of the campaign with a serious knee injury, and should be selected once again as he looks to gain match fitness to hit the ground running next season.

Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Luthe; Friedrich, Knoche, Schlotterbeck; Trimmel, Gentner, Griesbeck, Lenz; Ingvartsen; Pohjanpalo, Kruse

RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Martinez; Klostermann, Upamecano, Orban; Mukiele, Sabitzer, Kampl, Haidara; Nkunku, Forsberg; Poulsen

We say: Union Berlin 1-1 RB Leipzig

We can envisage a share of the spoils between these two sides on Saturday, with the hosts hoping Borussia Monchengladbach fail to beat relegation threatened Werder Bremen to help them secure a European spot should that prove to be the case.

Leipzig are unlikely to be on the beach just yet, though, as they look to provide Nagelsmann with the departure he deserves.