By Paul Gorgas
There can only be one! On Saturday, Union Berlin will play against BVB in the Bundesliga (3:30 p.m., Sky) – and there will be a direct duel between Germany’s national nine!
Union striker Kevin Behrens (32) was nominated for the DFB selection for the first time on Friday morning by new national coach Julian Nagelsmann (36). In Dortmund he faces BVB attacker Niclas Füllkrug (30) on the pitch. Behrens and Füllkrug are the only real center forwards in the German squad for the upcoming trip to the USA. It will be Behrens’ first trip to the USA.
The duo is competing for the starting eleven spot at the top – and can compete directly with each other in the league hit. Behrens has scored more goals this season so far, scoring four times in the first two games of the season, always with his head. This makes him currently the strongest player in the air in Europe’s top leagues.
This also convinces the national coach. Nagelsmann says about the Behrens nomination: “The decision was made that we still want a striker who is strong in the air. He’s a very good guy who always wants to win and who does an incredible amount of defensive work.”
Until recently, Behrens still had a decent mat on his head Photo: picture alliance/dpa
Nagelsmann continued: “He is very strong when running up and also in the air when we have opponents who defend deep and we need a goal at the end.”
At the same time as his nomination, Behrens appeared in the final training session on Friday morning with his hair cropped short. A real fighting hairstyle for the 1.85 meter man, who has been waiting for the next goal for four games after his miracle start to the season. Füllkrug took photos for BVB for the first time on the last matchday.
But for Behrens and Union, BVB is about much more! The Iron Men are threatened with a negative record of five Bundesliga defeats in a row. Danger: The Köpenickers have never been able to take a point in Dortmund.
That should change with Behrens in national team form! Strike partner Sheraldo Becker (28) is finally in the mood to score again and recently scored twice in the Champions League against Braga (2:3).
And there’s another Dortmund scare lurking on the Iron team’s bench: Kevin Volland (31), who is finally allowed to get involved again after his red card ban, scored eight goals in 17 games against Dortmund! Good omens for Behrens and Union!