Aiming to end their three-match losing streak, Augsburg welcome a Union Berlin side two places below them in the Bundesliga table for Saturday's season finale at WWK Arena.
Despite entering the final match of the campaign on a losing sequence, the Bavarians' impressive nine-match unbeaten top-flight sequence in this fixture will be put to the test against the capital club, who have claimed five consecutive victories in the last gameweek and seek to record a sixth straight success.
Match preview
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It is reasonable to suggest that Augsburg have mentally checked out of this season, a claim highlighted by performances and results before the final matchday.
While this season is set to be Fuggerstadter's third-best in the German top division after 2013-14 (52 points) and 2014-15 (49), Jess Thorup's men, currently on 43 points, cannot finish in the division's top half.
The only apparent ambition would be to finish as high as possible in the table to displace 10th-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, currently on 45 points, and extend their impressive record in this fixture.
With just one defeat in their previous 11 contests, the Bavarians aim to secure a seventh win in 12 top-flight meetings against the capital club.
However, the hosts must demonstrate more attacking potency than they have shown in the previous four matches since their last victory over VfL Bochum on April 12, having failed to score in defeats to Bayer Leverkusen (2-0) and Stuttgart (4-0), along with a goalless encounter with Eintracht Frankfurt.
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Union will hope to face an unmotivated 11th-placed home team, eager to maintain an impressive record of securing victories in the final round of every season since gaining promotion in 2019.
The Iron Ones have defeated Fortuna Dusseldorf (3-0), RB Leipzig (2-1), VfL Bochum (3-2), Werder Bremen (1-0) and Freiburg (2-1) in those years, although each triumph has been secured in Berlin.
Now aiming to keep that run going, Die Eisernen must win a final-day match away from home to improve on a dismal record in this fixture and extend Augsburg's losing streak.
Although they suffered a 3-0 loss last time out against Heidenheim, thereby snapping an eight-match undefeated sequence (three wins), the travelling support have reason to be optimistic, considering their team's ongoing away run of not losing in four matches.
Steffen Baumgart's team have recorded a pair of 2-1 wins over Frankfurt and Freiburg, while drawing against Leverkusen and Bochum, and another win or draw in Bavaria will set a club record of not losing on the road for five Bundesliga away games.
Given Augsburg's struggles, you would forgive the travelling fans for expecting a positive outcome against Saturday's hosts.
Team News
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Seven-goal forward Samuel Essende is suspended for Augsburg's final match, while Mergim Berisha (thigh) and Yusuf Kabadayi (knee) are sidelined due to injury.
In Essende's absence, Alexis Claude-Maurice, who scored a brace in the reverse fixture and is the Bavarians' leading goalscorer with nine, along with Phillip Tietz (six), should shoulder the home team's attacking responsibilities.
Union have far more injury issues than their hosts, highlighted by the absences of Woo-Yeong Jeong (ankle), Aljoscha Kemlein (foot), Diogo Leite (throat), Jerome Roussillon (muscle) and Robert Skov (calf).
Like Essende, Union's Benedict Hollerbach has also netted nine Bundesliga goals, with four being match-winning strikes, and the forward aims to add to his decisive efforts on Saturday.
Only Bayern Munich's Harry Kane (10), Mainz 05's Jonathan Burkardt (seven), Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (six) and Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy (five) have scored more game-clinching efforts than Claude-Maurice and Hollerbach, emphasising the reliance on both forwards heading into gameweek 34's contest.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger; Wolf, Jakic, Onyeka, Giannoulis; Komur, Claude-Maurice; Tietz
Union Berlin possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Doekhi, Querfeld, Vogt; Trimmel, Schafer, Khedira, Haberer, Juranovic; Hollerbach, Ilic
We say: Augsburg 1-1 Union Berlin
Having not secured maximum points in this fixture since January 2020, Union may not have a better chance of beating an Augsburg side that already appear to be on vacation.
However, with neither side having much to play for, a draw seems a likely outcome in Bavaria.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
