Union’s Danilho Doekhi in a header duel with Hertha’s Marco Richter in the past round – this season both teams can only meet in the cup (archive photo) Photo: Ronny HARTMANN / AFP
From BZ/dpa
Mandatory tasks for 1. FC Union Berlin, tricky start for Hertha BSC: The Berlin clubs face very different tasks at the start of the season in the Bundesliga and the 2nd Bundesliga.
As the German Football League (DFL) announced on Friday, Union will start the next season with a home game against FSV Mainz 05 on August 19 or 20.
Then it goes for the Iron to promoted Darmstadt 98 (25-27 August) – a comparatively simple opening program. The first real endurance test is then against RB Leipzig (September 1-3) in the duel of the Champions League participants.
Click here for the complete Bundesliga schedule!
Hertha BSC starts with an away game in Düsseldorf
For relegated Hertha BSC, the season in the 2nd division begins on July 29th or 30th with a difficult away game at Fortuna Düsseldorf. A week later, newly promoted SV Wehen Wiesbaden come to the Olympic Stadium before moving on to Hamburger SV (18-20 August).
Hertha are playing their first two away games against the clubs they played against in 2012 (Düsseldorf (1:2/2:2)) and 2022 (HSV 0:1/2:0) in the Bundesliga relegation.
Click here for the complete second division schedule!
The top games against FC Bayern are for Union on 1.-3. December (matchday 13) in Munich and 19.-21. April (matchday 30) in Berlin. On the 34th and final day of the game, the Irons will welcome SC Freiburg on May 18, 2024.
Hertha will end the season a day later with an away game at VfL Osnabrück. A Berlin derby is only possible in the DFB Cup this season.