Augsburg-Stuttgart is a match on the 29th day of the Bundesliga and is played Friday at 8:30pm: TV, lineups, predictions.
Enrico Maassen, in his first season on the Augsburg bench, is now one step closer to the goal the club set for itself at the start of the season. The Fuggerstadters are close to yet another salvation: five points from third-last place is a good margin with six days left in the season.
The Bavarian lineup, however, cannot yet feel comfortable. It will therefore have to turn things around immediately by finding the success it has been missing for five Bundesliga rounds, in which it has barely collected two draws. Last Saturday Augsburg surrendered 3-2 to Leipzig, while seven days earlier it collapsed at home to Cologne (1-3). Two defeats also resulted from important absences. One above all was that of striker Berisha, who arrived last summer on loan from Fenerbahçe and scored nine goals. The German center forward is struggling with an ankle problem and has missed the last two matches. Against Stuttgart, Demirovic, who has finished serving his three-day disqualification, should also return. The one with the Swabians, third-last in the standings, is a very delicate match: a possible victory would allow the Bavarians to fly to +8 and mortgage salvation.
Hoeness has lifted Stuttgart
It was at home that Augsburg scored the bulk of its points. Badly on the away side, however: with Leipzig came the eighth knockout in the last ten matches played away from their home crowd
Stuttgart players’ jubilation
It will also be a thrilling match for Stuttgart: for Sebastian Hoeness’s men, the next few are all potential finals. The change on the bench, however, seems to have paid off. The former Hoffenheim coach, who arrived not even a month ago to replace Labbadia, immediately took charge and, between league and cup – Stuttgart will play the German Cup semifinal with Eintracht Frankfurt – has brought home only positive results. The red-and-whites are fresh from their feat with Borussia Dortmund, a week ago caught up in full recovery by a goal from Silas (3-3).
The Prediction
The excellent performance against the second force in the tournament certified the excellent moment of Stuttgart, reborn after the arrival of the new coach. The Swabians in Bavaria have a chance to put up some more valuable salvation points against an Augsburg that has relaxed a bit too much in the last period. It would not be a surprise if the guests avoid defeat in a match in which they are likely to score both.
The likely Augsburg-Stuttgart lineups
- AUGSBURG (4-4-2): Koubek; Gumny, Bauer, Uduokhai, Iago; Maier, Engels, Rexhbecaj, Vargas; Beljo, Berisha.
- STOCCARDA (3-4-2-1): Bredlow; Anton, Zagadou, Ito; Vagnoman, Endo, Karazor, Sosa; Millot, Führich; Guirassy.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 1-1
