Augsburg-Bayer Leverkusen is a match on the 19th day of the Bundesliga and is played on Friday at 20:30: TV, formations, predictions.
Bayer Leverkusen failed their most important test on Sunday, falling in front of their home crowd (0-2) in their first test of a certain level against Borussia Dortmund. It was the first setback after five consecutive victories, thanks to which Xabi Alonso’s men had returned to the European stage.
A result that was a complete lie, however, as the Aspirins dominated in terms of play and deserved at least a draw. Edin Terzic’s team, despite taking only a third of the shots on goal by Wirtz and his team-mates, proved to be more cynical and took away three golden points from the BayArena with minimal effort. Borussia were also helped by Lady Luck, as the goal that sealed the match was a very unlucky Tapsoba own goal. The Spanish coach is eating his hands: with a victory his Bayer Leverkusen would have made a not inconsiderable leap in the standings, subtracting three points even from a potential direct competitor. Instead, for the time being he remains ninth, eight points behind sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Augsburg with patches
Xabi Alonso and his side will need to look to make the most of their forthcoming games to avoid missing out on the Europa League play-off with Monaco.
Demirovic exults
Bayer will face Augsburg, a team embroiled in the fight for relegation, on matchday 19. The Bavarians, after breaking their long winless streak in their home match against Borussia Monchengladbach, are back to losing ways: a bitter 3-1 away defeat in Freiburg does not allow Enrico Maassen’s Fuggerstadter to move away from the red zone. Keeping Bayer Leverkusen at bay will be tricky, especially considering the number of injured players: Augsburg will have to do without Demirovic, Cardona, Hahn and Strobl in addition to Vargas.
The prediction
Both teams want to forget last weekend’s defeats. But Bayer Leverkusen have much more individual quality than the Bavarians, and the feeling is that the slip-up with Borussia Dortmund was entirely accidental. Aspirins therefore slightly favoured in a challenge that should guarantee at least three goals in total.
Augsburg v Bayer Leverkusen matchday squad
- AUGSBURG (4-4-2): Gikiewicz; Gumny, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Colina; Maier, Engels, Rexhbecaj, Pedersen; Beljo, Berisha.
- BAYER LEVERKUSEN (3-4-1-2): Hradecky; Tapsoba, Tah, Hincapie; Frimpong, Palacios, Andrich, Bakker; Wirtz; Diaby, Adli.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-2
