Whole team cost 30 million euros
Robin Knoche (30) is on course for the Champions League with Union Berlin. In third place, the “Iron” are four points ahead of fifth-placed RB Leipzig (€487m), which has a squad value that is almost four times that of the capital city. “It’s not normal for us to be up there,” says Knoche “Bild” newspaper. Meanwhile, FC Bayern are four points behind.
A look at the Transfermarkt stats “Squad vs. League Rank” shows that Union is the top performer in the Bundesliga. Coach Urs Fischer’s team has a market value of EUR 126 million – nine squads are more valuable in Germany’s top division, but only BVB (EUR 548 million) and FC Bayern (EUR 980 million) are ahead of them in the table. This means that Union performs seven places better than the squad value suggests. At no other club is this difference greater.
Negative examples are currently Borussia Mönchengladbach, Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG Hoffenheim, who are lagging behind expectations with significantly more valuable squads. One of the main factors in the success of the “Iron” is the best defense in the league, in which Knoche has been seeded for three seasons, with 31 goals conceded. “We’ve played internationally every year since I’ve been here,” says VfL Wolfsburg’s homegrown player. “Defensive is the basis of our success. It starts with the striker and ends with the goalkeeper. Everyone just works there. We define ourselves by playing against the ball, that’s what defines us.”
Union Berlin on course Champions League – squad only cost 30 million euros in transfers
Wolfsburg let Knoche go free of charge in 2020, and Union struck shortly after his departure. “I feel very comfortable here, I still want to achieve something,” explains the native of Braunschweig, whose contract at the Alte Försterei runs until 2024. And that is also a recipe for success for the third-placed player: get players for free or at comparatively low fees and create value.
The complete Bundesliga squad of the Berliners only cost 30.4 million euros in transfers – that’s 14th place in an internal league comparison. Top performers such as Janik Haberer, Danilho Doekhi, Kevin Behrens, Rani Khedira, Sheraldo Becker and Knoche came on a free transfer. “The team deserves it, the club deserves it. Nevertheless, it’s important to know where you come from,” said Knoche before the game against Bayer Leverkusen.
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