From their 1-1 draw on the first matchday against Werder Bremen, and victories against 1. FC Köln (1-0) and Hamburger SV (6-2), just like Union’s women, SC Freiburg are on seven points  after four matches. 

That Freiburg have started the season so well was by no means a given, as the club experienced a significant overhaul in the summer. After finishing in a strong fifth place last season, their best league position in seven years, many key players left the club: top scorer with eight goals, Cora Zicai, transferred to VfL Wolfsburg, first-choice goalkeeper Rafaela Borggräfe went to Liverpool, and midfielder Annabel Schasching moved to RasenBallsport Leipzig.

It should  ofcourse be mentioned here that two regulars, Samantha Steuerwald and Eileen Campbell, joined 1. FC Union Berlin. Freiburg primarily addressed the significant loss with young talents, with only the new number one, former national goalkeeper Laura Benkarth (32), expected to take a leadership role. There was also a change on the coaching bench in the summer when Edmond Kapllani, who had previously had no experience in women's football, succeeded Theresa Merk, who had managed the club for three years.

A Swiss contingent stand apart at SC, who (apart from a brief hiatus in 2010/11) have been a top flight club for almost 25 years. Five players from the Alpine country are in the squad, including captain of defence Julia Stierli and forward Svenja Fömlie, both of whom participated in the home European Championship this summer. Four of SC Freiburg's eight Bundesliga goals this season have been scored by Swiss players.

As previously mentioned, Eileen Campbell and Samantha Steuerwald made their way from Freiburg to Berlin this Summer. Defender Steuerwald had played  101 Bundesliga  games over five years for SC, scoring nine goals while Campbell moved from her Austrian home to the Schwarzwald in January 2024 and made 23 Bundesliga appearances with five goals and four assists over one and a half years.

They followedf the path of Judith Steinert, who transferred from Freiburg to Union a year previously. The full-back arrived in 2022 from Hoffenheim, and played in 41 Bundesliga matches, scoring three goals before coming to Berlin. Together with Steuerwald, she was also part of the team that started the 4-1 loss in the DFB Pokal final in May 2023.

Union's coaching team will have to do without the services of Anna Aehling, Alma Aagaard, Nele Bauereisen, Judith Steinert, Leonie Köster, Hannah Eurlings, and Fatma Şakar on Sunday.  

 "In Freiburg, a long-standing Bundesliga team are coming to the Alte Försterei who  have had a very good start to the season. We want to defend aggressively and give them little space. We also want to continue to be dangerous through offensive actions.“ 

Tickets for the match are available for open sale at all Union's Zeughaus stores as well as online. The Stadion An der Alten Försterei will open its gates and the ticket office at 12:00. Remaining parking spaces are available in front of the main stand for €8. Union are offering a painting activity for families with children. Information about this can be found here.

Please note: There are still significant restrictions in public transport. Access with tram 62 from Mahlsdorf is via a replacement transport service, so an early arrival is requested.