Two of the form sides in 2025 lock horns in gameweek 30 of the Bundesliga as Augsburg host Eintracht Frankfurt at WWK Arena on Sunday.
Only Bayern Munich (33 points) and Bayer Leverkusen (31) have accrued more points since the turn of the year than the hosts (26), who seek to inflict another defeat on Frankfurt after Thursday's Europa League elimination by Tottenham Hotspur.
Match preview
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Augsburg responded to their first Bundesliga defeat since January by securing a last-gasp 2-1 win over VfL Bochum in gameweek 29.
Mert Komur's late winner for the Bavarians meant they avoided consecutive setbacks after a 3-1 home loss to Bayern in the 28th round, and they aim for consecutive top-flight victories to boost their prospects of European participation next season.
With 42 points accrued from 29 games, Jess Thorup's 10th-placed side are three points adrift of Freiburg in sixth, which guarantees qualification for the Conference League playoff round.
However, seventh place could suffice for continental involvement, though that outcome depends on DFB-Pokal finalists Stuttgart securing the domestic cup and finishing in the top six.
While ranking 11th, the cup finalists are two points adrift of Augsburg and five behind a top-six berth, indicating the possibility of more twists and turns in the concluding rounds this term.
As Thorup's men chase an eighth win in 2025, Fuggerstadter defeating the league's third-placed side could enhance their push for Conference League participation in 2025-26.
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Frankfurt, whose 24 points in 2025 are surpassed by Bayern, Leverkusen and Sunday's opponents, aim to return to winning ways after Thursday's Europa League setback at the hands of Ange Postecoglou's Spurs.
While claiming the continent's secondary club competition would have guaranteed Champions League involvement next season, Dino Toppmoller's men sit third in the German top flight, holding one of the four spots for participation in next season's league phase.
With fifth-placed Mainz 05 on 46 points and Freiburg (45) still mathematically able to supplant Frankfurt (51) and fourth-placed RB Leipzig on 48 points, the Eagles will strive to put their European exit behind them by overcoming the Conference League hopefuls.
The precedent favours Die Adler, having suffered just one defeat in this fixture in 10 encounters, winning five and drawing four.
Although that solitary loss came in last season's reverse fixture, the travelling support will hope to leverage their dominance in matchups with Augsburg to stave off the possibility of the chasing pack supplanting them in the campaign's concluding rounds.
However, an indifferent away record, which has seen Toppmoller's side claim one victory in their last five on the road (with two losses), could undermine their chances of a sixth victory in 11 games against their Bavarian opponents.
Team News
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Kristijan Jakic is carrying a knock ahead of Sunday and will be assessed, although missing through injury and suspension are Yusuf Kabadayi (knee) and Arne Maier, dismissed in last week's victory at Bochum.
While nine-goal forward Alexis Claude-Maurice and seven-goal man Samuel Essende have netted three match-opening goals, Claude-Maurice has scored three more match-winning goals than his teammate, and he aims to build upon his four game-clinching efforts.
Of players currently in the Bundesliga, only Harry Kane (eight), Jonathan Burkardt (seven) and Patrik Schick (five) have scored more game-deciding goals than Claude-Maurice, highlighting the Augsburg man's contributions.
Mario Gotze was forced off after 17 minutes in Frankfurt's Europa League quarter-final exit on Thursday with a suspected thigh issue, meaning the former World Cup winner joins Kevin Trapp (calf) and Krisztian Lisztes (illness) on the sidelines.
Having scored in two previous encounters against Sunday's opponents, Hugo Ekitike seeks to make it three from three and add to his two goals in this fixture.
Although only one of his 14 goals has been a match-winner, Ekitike has netted six game-opening efforts for Die Adler, and he aims to get off to a quick start in gameweek 30.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Schlotterbeck; Wolf, Jakic, Onyeka, Giannoulis; Jensen, Claude-Maurice; Essende
Eintracht Frankfurt possible starting lineup:
Kaua; Kristensen, Tuta, Koch, Theate; Skhiri, Hojlund; Knauff, Chaibi, Bahoya; Ekitike
We say: Augsburg 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Both teams have scored in the last six Bundesliga meetings between Augsburg and Frankfurt, and that pattern should continue on Sunday.
However, with four of the last seven meetings ending in stalemates, including the reverse fixture in Hesse, another score draw could ensue this weekend as both sides share the spoils.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
