Friday night’s Bundesliga action sees Augsburg welcome Borussia Dortmund to the WWK Arena, in what promises to be an interesting match.
The hosts will be eager to test themselves against one of Germany’s heavyweights and pull themselves out of uncertainty, while Dortmund will be looking to tighten their grip near the top of the table.
BVB comes off the back of a morale-boosting win against Koln on Saturday, which followed the loss to Bayern Munich that ended their 14-game unbeaten streak.
Team form
Dortmund currently sit fourth in the table with five wins, one loss and two draws. Their recent loss to table toppers Bayern saw them slip from second.
Augsburg, on the other hand, scramble in 15th place, just three points away from the relegation zone. They have won two, lost five, and drawn one, and come into this clash off a 6-0 battering at the hands of RB Leipzig.
Although both teams are fairly level on goals scored, with Dortmund on 14 and Augsburg on 12, the number of goals conceded is starkly different. Dortmund have only conceded six goals in their first eight games, whereas Augsburg have conceded over three times that, on 20.
Head-to-head
Augsburg were victorious in both clashes last season, first with a 2-1 win at home in October, and then a 1-0 away win in March, both frustrating blows for the black and yellow.
Prior to those two stinging defeats, Dortmund showcased an attacking masterclass, slotting away five, compared to just one from Augsburg.
This fixture has not ended goalless since 2012, so goals are almost guaranteed - it’s just a case of exactly how many will be scored.
Borussia Dortmund and Augsburg have faced each other 22 times since 2015. Dortmund have won 12 of those meetings, Augsburg five, while five have ended in draws.
Both teams will be dealing with notable absences. Dortmund are without Julien Duranville and Emre Can, who are both expected to be out until November.
Augsburg will suffer without the presence of crucial defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, who is sidelined with a ligament injury.
This will be a significant blow to Augsburg’s back line, and the team will be forced to make up for his absence.
Key stats
Augsburg have an average 1.5 goals per game, but concede an average of 2.5
Dortmund have a 1.8 goal per game average, and concede 0.8 times
Dortmund have only suffered one defeat this season, while Augsburg have lost five
Augsburg are shown more cards throughout games, averaging 3.3 compared to Dortmund’s 1.9
Prediction
Although Augsburg have appeared to be Dortmund’s bogey team on occasion, it is unlikely that they will come out on top this time.
With a woeful defensive record and disruptions to their back line, Augsburg look vulnerable, making a Dortmund victory the most likely outcome.
