Union Berlin Eyes Swiss Champion Mauro Lustrinelli as Next Head Coach

May 17, 2026 2:41am 02:41

Union Berlin targets Swiss coach Mauro Lustrinelli as their new head coach after Marie-Louise Eta's short tenure, aiming to strengthen youth development and playing style.

Key details

• Mauro Lustrinelli is the preferred candidate to succeed Marie-Louise Eta at Union Berlin.
• Lustrinelli recently won the Swiss championship with FC Thun and is under contract until 2028.
• Union Berlin seeks a German-speaking coach focused on youth development and an active playing style.
• Other candidates include Christian Eichner and Horst Steffen.

Union Berlin is reportedly set to appoint Mauro Lustrinelli as their new head coach after a brief tenure by Marie-Louise Eta. According to reports from Kicker and Sky, the club's managing director Horst Heldt and president Dirk Zingler are in advanced talks with Lustrinelli, who led FC Thun to an unexpected Swiss championship and a possible Champions League spot. The 50-year-old coach is contracted with Thun until 2028 and has a history with Union Berlin, having served as co-trainer under Urs Fischer previously.

Union Berlin seeks a German-speaking coach who champions young talent and an active, bold playing style. Lustrinelli fits this profile, known also for coaching Swiss youth national teams. Eta made history as Bundesliga's first female head coach when stepping in last April, but only managed five matches before moving to coach Union's women's team.

Other coaching candidates linked to Union include Christian Eichner, soon to leave Karlsruher SC, and former Bremen coach Horst Steffen. If Lustrinelli is appointed, he would become Union Berlin's sixth head coach since Fischer’s 2023 departure, following short stints by Marco Grote, Nenad Bjelica, Bo Svensson, and Eta.

This move signals Union Berlin's ambition to stabilize leadership with a coach who can build on recent successes and nurture young players for sustained competitiveness.

This article was translated and synthesized from German sources, providing English-speaking readers with local perspectives.