Steffen Baumgart leads Union Berlin to Bundesliga safety

His appointment has coincided with a remarkable resurgence, ensuring the club's Bundesliga survival for next season.

Despite a setback with a 1-0 home defeat to Holstein Kiel, Baumgart's side bounced back spectacularly.

That loss was swiftly followed by an unbeaten six-match run against some of the Bundesliga's strongest teams: Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayern Munich, Freiburg, Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen, and VfB Stuttgart.

The climax came with a thrilling 4-4 draw against Stuttgart, a result that secured Union's place in Germany's top flight for another year.

"It was a real up-and-down game, but I don't think it was that one game that ensured safety, but more the run of our last six games unbeaten,"  Baumgart told the official Bundesliga website.  

"We were more or less safe before the Stuttgart match, but that confirmed it. The fact we conceded four goals is something we can analyse, but the result was all that mattered in the end.

"The atmosphere was amazing - but that is normal for Union fans, especially when something's been achieved. The atmosphere is always good - euphoric even.

"I don't think things can always be explained in football. When you look at each game, each one had its own story. Lots of things started going our way.

"Those positive things then brought confidence. Confidence then brings things you sometimes can't explain, because when you're 1-0 down against Bayern, for instance, you normally don't come back.

"We're pleased though that we've managed a run against opponents who are seen as better than us."