Bundesliga: Coach Baumgart Praises Union Striker Despite Goal Drought

In the Bundesliga, Andrej Ilic, the central forward for 1. FC Union Berlin, has yet to find the back of the net this season. However, his coach, Steffen Baumgart, remains optimistic about Ilic's impact on the team, highlighting his significance in upcoming matches.

After five games, where the team has recorded two wins, two losses, and one draw, Ilic, aged 25, has not scored in league play. This Saturday, Union Berlin faces Bayer Leverkusen at 15:30 (Sky), and the pressure is on for Ilic to break his scoring drought.

In the recent goalless draw against Hamburger SV, Ilic missed a penalty, but Baumgart emphasized Ilic's crucial role, stating that he is a vital player for the squad and serves as a tactical leader. His only goal so far this season came during a DFB-Pokal match against FC Gütersloh, where Union triumphed 5-0 on August 15.

Looking ahead to the match against Bayer Leverkusen, Baumgart pointed out that the upcoming opponent has typically allowed goals in their previous matches this season, except for their initial DFB-Pokal match against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach, where they secured a 4-0 victory without conceding.

Under new coach Kasper Hjulmand, Leverkusen recently achieved a 2-1 victory against FC St. Pauli, demonstrating their potential despite changes in their team structure following the departure of successful coach Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid and star striker Florian Wirtz to FC Liverpool.

Baumgart acknowledged the individual talent within the Leverkusen squad, suggesting that the forthcoming match promises to be an exciting encounter, with the outcome hanging in the balance. A key factor will be whether Ilic can finally end his goal-scoring drought.