In a battle that will impact the race for survival and European football, Augsburg will host second last Holstein Kiel at WWK Arena on Sunday in their third final Bundesliga game of the season.
Augsburg are in 10th place with 43 points and will almost certainly need to win to have hopes of qualifying for Europe, while the 17th-placed visitors have 22 points following their 4-3 victory against Borussia Monchengladbach on April 26 and occupy the second of two automatic relegation spots.
Match preview
© Imago
The home side were beaten 2-0 by champions Bayer Leverkusen on April 26, a game in which the victors only created one big chance and less than one xG.
Last weekend was the second consecutive match that Augsburg failed to score in, and they have in fact not found the back of the net in six of their past 12 in all competitions, though they did keep seven clean sheets in that time.
Head coach Jess Thorup's side are five points from sixth-placed Borussia Dortmund, who occupy the division's Conference League qualification spot, and anything other than a win against Holstein Kiel will end their European hopes if BVB beat Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Die Fuggerstadter are in mixed form having lost two, drawn two and won one of their five most recent outings, though they did triumph in three of their prior four.
Augsburg have only been beaten once in their last six at WWK Arena, but they were held to three goalless stalemates in that period.
© Imago
As for Holstein Kiel, they raced into a two-goal lead against Borussia Monchengladbach after just 23 minutes, but their opponents twice levelled the game at 2-2 and 3-3, and they only claimed all three points thanks to Shuto Machino's 91st-minute winner.
The visitors' four goals were as many as they had netted in their previous five, and they have now prevented their opponents from scoring just once in their last 21 matches.
Boss Marcel Rapp will know that a victory on Sunday could put his team just one point behind 16th-placed Heidneheim, who occupy the league's relegation playoff spot and drew with VfL Bochum on Friday.
The Storks trounced Augsburg 5-1 in the reverse fixture on December 21 – taking a 4-0 lead into the half-time interval - but they come into the weekend's clash having drawn three and lost three of their past seven.
Holstein Kiel are winless in their past three on the road – drawing twice – and have been defeated in 10 of their last 16 away from home while winning just once.
Team News
© Imago
Augsburg's squad is relatively healthy, though striker Mergim Berisha has been ruled out, making Samuel Essende certain to start up front.
Given centre-back Noahkai Banks is dealing with a hip injury, Chrislain Matsima, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Cedric Zesiger may be stationed in a back three.
Frank Onyeka and Kristijan Jakic were fielded together in a double pivot last time out, and the duo will likely be trusted once again considering Yusuf Kabadayi is injured.
As for Holstein Kiel, centre-back Marko Ivezic is unavailable due to suspension, while Colin Kleine-Bekel, Marco Komenda, Ivan Nekic and Patrick Erras will also be absent.
Expect to see a back three consisting of Timo Becker, Carl Johansson and David Zec in front of goalkeeper Thomas Dahne.
With attacking midfielder Andu Yobel Kelati not scheduled to come back until late May, Steven Skrzybski could play in a supportive role behind Alexander Bernhardsson and Machino.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger; Wolf, Jakic, Onyeka, Giannoulis; Komur, Claude-Maurice; Essende
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Dahne; Becker, Johansson, Zec; Rosenboom, Gigovic, Remberg, Tolkin; Skrzybski; Bernhardsson, Machino
We say: Augsburg 1-1 Holstein Kiel
It is difficult to separate the sides given both have not managed to achieve many positive results in the last weeks.
Neither team have been particularly productive in the final third in their recent matches, and they could play out a low-scoring stalemate.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
