‘The best you can do for them is fight’ – Union Berlin star Awoniyi hoping to maintain his net-bursting form

Ahead of Union Berlin’s meeting with Hertha Berlin in the first Berlin derby of the Bundesliga season, Union’s star forward Taiwo Awoniyi expressed how important playing for the club is and underscored his attachment to Nigeria.

Awoniyi made his loan spell at Union Berlin permanent in July and has scored seven goals in 11 matches this season. The 24-year-old is Union’s leading goalscorer in the Bundesliga this term and is in the form of his life.

“I have always said that Union is a family club,” the Nigerian told Bundesliga.com. “I believe not only me but the players will play for them, will fight for them.”

Beautiful content by the @Bundesliga_EN on @taiwoawoniyi18 . Made available to @omasports_TV and @omasports pic.twitter.com/njr8WgaojI

— Oma Akatugba (@omaakatugba) November 19, 2021

Union and Hertha will face-off in the historic Berlin derby this Saturday. Awoniyi was on the scoresheet in the derby last year [a 3-1 win for Hertha] but is now hoping for a better performance this time around.

“Because of the way they [the club and fans] support every player, not only me, you will always want to give your all, you always want to do everything for them. The best you can do for them is just to fight whenever you have the shirt on and hopefully make them happy,” the former Liverpool man, who has come a long way from Nigeria to the Stadion An der Alten Försterei in Berlin, said.

He spent years on the move in a raft of loan deals in Holland, Belgium, England and Germany. He’s now settled in the German capital, but says he never misses an opportunity to go back to his home country, Nigeria.

“Everytime I have the opportunity, I go back [to Nigeria] because my parents are there, my brothers and sisters are there. I will always go back because there’s no place like home, as they always say.”

Union Berlin are eight on the Bundesliga standings – 11 points behind leaders Bayern Munich, and four points above rivals, Hertha, who are 13th.