Union Berlin make their Champions League debut at European royalty Real Madrid on Tuesday just four years after a first ever promotion to the German Bundesliga. 

The date with Real, who own more Champions League trophies (14) than the rest of Spain and Germany combined, is the next stop on a soaring rise as unlikely as it is meteoric.

Union's history has become the stuff of legend; an inspiring tale that anything is still possible in a sport dominated by legacy powerhouses and new money behemoths bankrolled by nation states.

That Union have overcome their hurdles -- they are just the sixth club from the former East Germany to play in the top division since reunification in 1990 -- is a credit to the club's shrewd and ambitious front office, along with one of the loyalest fan bases in the league. 

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