Union Berlin Appoints Marie-Louise Eta as Interim Head Coach After Sacking Steffen Baumgart

Union Berlin appointed Marie-Louise Eta as interim head coach on Saturday after dismissing Steffen Baumgart and his assistants Danilo de Souza and Kevin McKenna. The change followed a 3-1 defeat to Heidenheim, the bottom-placed team in the Bundesliga.

Union Berlin has won only two of its 14 matches since the winter break and sits 11th in the standings, seven points above the relegation play-off spot with five games remaining.

Eta, 34, previously served as head coach of Union Berlin's under-19 squad and was the first woman in an assistant coaching role in the Bundesliga in November 2023, working with Marco Grote. She also temporarily managed first-team duties during a three-match suspension of then-manager Nenad Bjelica in 2024.

Historic Appointment in European Football Eta's appointment marks the first time a woman has been named head coach of a men's team in Europe's top five leagues, which include the Bundesliga, Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, and Ligue 1.

After the season, she will become head coach of Union Berlin's women's professional team starting in the summer. Director of football Horst Heldt stated that recent performances had eroded confidence in the previous coaching setup and described the club's position as precarious. Eta's first match in charge will be against Wolfsburg on April 18 at the Stadion An der Alten Försterei.

Eta's Statement on the Challenge Eta addressed the team's situation in a statement.

“Given the points gap in the lower half of the table, our place in the Bundesliga is not yet secure. I am delighted that the club has entrusted me with this challenging task. One of Union's strengths has always been, and remains, the ability to pull together in such situations. And, of course, I am convinced that we will secure the crucial points with the team.”

The appointment came after Union's hierarchy acted swiftly to overhaul the coaching staff.