One month prior, a sense of confidence permeated the atmosphere at 1. FC Union Berlin. This wasn’t as a result of their performance on the field; at that time, the team was deeply embroiled in the fight to avoid relegation. Rather, their optimism stemmed from a new addition to the team: Chris Bedia. The Ivorian player transferred from Servette Geneva to Köpenick on the 18th of January and quickly made his debut, albeit briefly, in an away game against Bayern Munich a few days later.
Head coach Nenad Bjelica confirmed that Bedia was steadily improving in training, and went so far as to compliment his physical condition. “In Switzerland the championship would have started at the weekend, he was in the training camp in Turkey and is in good physical condition,” Bjelica acknowledged. When Kevin Behrens suddenly left the club for VfL Wolfsburg, creating a void in the forward line, it seemed Bedia was poised for his moment in the spotlight.
However, a month later, the attacker continues to remain largely unnoticed at Union. Bedia has only made two substitutions so far, with seven ball contacts and no finishing situations. While this can’t be attributed entirely to his performance, given that he has only played for 27 minutes, it does align with his overall unobtrusive impression.
The 1.90 meter tall forward has played 90 minutes off the bench in each of their last three games. In their last game against Hoffenheim, Bjelica had initially planned to deploy the Ivorian as a joker, but then the dynamics of the match changed when Kevin Volland was sent off. With Yorbe Vertessen and Brenden Aaronson, Bjelica opted for players who excel in counterattacks – and this strategy yielded a win for Union.
Despite the victory, this development doesn’t bode well for Bedia’s prospects for the home game against 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday (3:30 p.m., Sky) at the An der Alten Försterei stadium. Even though Volland, who is Benedict Hollerbach’s strike partner, will be missing from the game. “Brenden and Yorbe helped the team win and deserve a chance,” said Bjelica, but added: “I can hardly make any mistakes because the boys perform when they get their chance.”
Bedia’s performance can currently only be assessed in training and the striker from Ivory Coast is apparently having a harder time adapting to the new environment than he had hoped. The language is a difficulty, although there are some francophone players at Union. The bigger problem is the higher level of football. “With Bedia it was clear to us that he still needed time. “He comes from Switzerland and not from the Bundesliga, otherwise he wouldn’t have cost 1.5 million euros,” manager Oliver Ruhnert urged patience in a media round last week.
Bedia had a remarkable first half of the season with Servette Geneva, scoring 16 goals across all competitions. He still leads the Swiss Super League’s top scorers list, even six match days after his transfer. It’s almost inevitable to draw comparisons with Jordan Siebatcheu Pefok.
Siebatcheu Pefok, an American player, joined Union about a year and a half ago as the top scorer from Young Boys Bern. He made an immediate impact, earning six points in his first seven competitive games. However, he had the advantage of an entire summer to familiarize himself with the new environment and the team. After a promising start, Jordan’s form dwindled in the autumn and he was eventually loaned out to Borussia Mönchengladbach at the start of the current season.
Bedia, unlike Siebatcheu Pefok, didn’t have the luxury of preparation time, and has had to adjust while the season is ongoing. Bjelica acknowledged this challenge at a press conference on Thursday, but also confirmed that Bedia was making progress. “He’s still having a bit of a hard time settling in and adapting to the more duel-focused football and the higher tempo,” said the coach. However, he believes things are getting better with each training session, and Bedia will certainly have opportunities in future games. “He’s an option for Saturday.”
