Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Bundesliga clash between Augsburg and Hoffenheim, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Augsburg will hope to distance themselves from the Sunday’s opponents Hoffenheim, who are third last in 16th place, when they host them in the Bundesliga at WWK Arena.
The home side are 11th with 11 points after nine matchweeks and drew 1-1 with Wolfsburg on November 2, but while they are five places ahead of Hoffenheim, just two points separate the teams.
Match preview
© Imago
Augsburg only accumulated 30% possession against Wolfsburg, their second-lowest figure this season, and produced just two shots inside the penalty area compared to the Wolves’ 11.
Manager Jess Thorup said in the aftermath of the draw that he could sense the disappointment of his players in the dressing room given they had been leading from the 34th minute until the 82nd minute, but emphasised that he felt a draw was still a good result.
Thorup’s side are now unbeaten in their last three games, winning two and drawing one, and this is the first time his team have avoided losing for three consecutive matches since March.
Fuggerstadter’s tally of 13 Bundesliga goals makes them the division’s joint 10th best offensive club, but their record of 20 goals conceded makes them the joint third-worst defensive side.
Augsburg boast a strong home record having emerged victorious in their three most recent fixtures at WWK Arena, while also winning four, drawing one and losing just one of their six games at home this season.
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Opponents Hoffenheim lost 2-0 against St Pauli on November 2 in their ninth league game of the campaign, a match in which they produced few chances of real quality.
The result left them in the Bundesliga’s relegation playoff spot, though they are level on points with 15th-placed St Pauli and three points clear of 17th-placed Holstein Kiel, who occupy the first of the division’s two automatic relegation places.
Boss Pellegrino Matarazzo‘s side drew 2-2 with Lyon on Thursday in their fourth Europa League match, an outcome that leaves them in 19th place occupying a round of 16 playoff spot.
Matarazzo’s team have scored 13 times and conceded on 19 occasions, and these records make them the division’s joint 10th best offensive and fifth-worst defensive club.
Die Kraichgauer have been inconsistent in the past weeks, winning three, drawing three and losing two of their eight most recent games.
The visitors’ away form is outright poor, with the side failing to achieve victory in any of their last six matches on the road, experiencing defeat three times in that period.
Augsburg Bundesliga form:
Augsburg form (all competitions):
Hoffenheim Bundesliga form:
Hoffenheim form (all competitions):
Team News
© Imago
The hosts will be unable to select goalkeeper Daniel Klein until the middle of November, while defender Reece Oxford is out as a result of long COVID.
Nediljko Labrovic can be expected to start in goal behind a back three consisting of Chrislain Matsima, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Keven Schlotterbeck.
Midfielder Elvis Rexhbecaj is suspended, while attackers Fredrik Jensen and Ruben Vargas are ruled out, so perhaps Augsburg will field a midfield three of Frank Onyeka, Kristijan Jakic and Arne Maier behind strikers Phillip Tietz and Alexis Claude-Maurice.
Hoffenheim have numerous injury concerns heading into Sunday’s match, including defenders Christopher Lenz, Ozan Kabak and Stanley N’Soki.
Kevin Akpoguma, Anton Stach and Arthur Chaves are probable candidates to start as centre-backs.
Midfielders Finn Becker and Grischa Promel are not scheduled to come back until March next year and next month respectively, and in their absence Tom Bischof and Florian Grillitsch may start in a double pivot behind attacking midfielder Andrej Kramaric.
Forward Ihlas Bebou has also been ruled out, and this means that Adam Hlozek and Marious Bulter will likely feature in the forward line.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Labrovic; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Schlotterbeck; Wolf, Onyeka, Jakic, Maier, Giannoulis; Tietz, Claude-Maurice
Hoffenheim possible starting lineup:
Baumann; Chaves, Stach, Akpoguma; Gendrey, Bischof, Grillitsch, Prass; Kramaric; Hlozek, Bulter
We say: Augsburg 2-0 Hoffenheim
Considering the number of absentees in defence and midfield, it is difficult to see how Hoffenheim can avoid defeat.
Additionally, Augsburg should be favourites given their strong home form and Hoffenheim’s struggles on the road in recent weeks.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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