Union Berlin’s head coach, Steffen Baumgart, is currently demonstrating his undeniable “Midas Touch.” Following the Bundesliga winter break, he has successfully maintained an impressive trend from the 2025 season where he has expertly utilized substitutes to help secure wins.
In their recent 3-1 victory against RB Leipzig on matchday 14, Baumgart’s substitutions of Christopher Trimmel (who provided an assist), Andrej Ilic (also assisting), and Tim Skarke (who scored) helped Union overcome a 1-1 draw with their favored rivals, achieving a notable upset. An away win of 1-0 on matchday 15 was also influenced by Baumgart’s late introduction of Andras Schäfer.
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In the recent match against Mainz 05 on matchday 16, substitutions Woo Yeong-Jeong and Marin Ljubicic played crucial roles in securing a draw for Union. Generally, when a pattern like this occurs three times consecutively, it suggests that luck and coincidence may not be as influential as previously thought.
Does Baumgart possess a genuine “Midas Touch”?
While luck and coincidence undoubtedly play a role, it’s noteworthy that Skarke, Jeong, Schäfer, and Ljubicic all recorded their first goals of the season during these last three matches. Jeong and Ljubicic have struggled significantly over the past two seasons and are often labeled as major transfer disappointments.
Both Skarke and Schäfer have only started two matches this season, while Jeong had a short stint in the starting lineup before being benched after four games. Ljubicic, who was somewhat fortunate to be credited with the 2-2, didn’t even see any playing time prior to this weekend. It’s clear that Baumgart is managing to revitalize players who have either been underutilized or overlooked.
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A tactical adjustment has also been a factor in this success. Baumgart has successfully transitioned Union away from coach Urs Fischer’s ultra-defensive 3-3-2-2 formation—a shift that has taken multiple years and several coaches—into a more offensive 3-4-3 setup. Recently, he has even been experimenting with a 4-3-3 formation late in games to inject additional energy.
This approach appears to be effective. Baumgart emphasized the importance of substitutes three times during the post-match press conference, and fans are eager to see his next strategy for bench players.
Baumgart’s Insights:
“As a team, we focus on the collective rather than the starting XI,” Baumgart stated at the post-match press conference. “This reflects the morale and mentality of our squad. I was pleased with how well the two goals were executed, showcasing another decisive contribution from the team as a whole.
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“Once again, it’s about the players coming off the bench, not just the starting XI,” Baumgart elaborated when asked further. “This highlights the significance of those on the bench; they bring a wealth of quality to the game.
“It’s crucial that our starters put in the effort,” Baumgart added in response to another question. “Then our substitutes come in and give their all. That’s the essence of our team spirit. There’s been a noticeable change since the beginning of the season, and that’s exactly what we aim to achieve.“