Augsburgvs.Freiburg

Augsburg are 11th with 31 points and overcame Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0 on February 22, while their opponents emerged as 5-0 victors on February 21 against Werder Bremen and are in fourth place with 39 points.

Match preview

Forward Alexis Claude netted a second-half hat-trick last time out for Augburg, though fans may be concerned that their team only produced four shots on target against a side that had been reduced to 10 men in the 28th minute.

The hosts' had failed to find the back of the net in their previous three games, and it was the first time they scored at least three goals since their 3-0 victory against Schalke 04 on October 29 in the DFB-Pokal.

Jess Thorup's team have kept three consecutive clean sheets and prevented their opponents from scoring in five of their last eight matches, conceding just three goals in that time.

The Fuggerstadter's form is mixed given they have lost one, drawn three and won just one of their last five, but they are unbeaten in seven league outings, winning on four occasions.

However, Augsburg have been defeated in two of their four most recent home matches - drawing one and achieving victory in one - but they did win five of their prior seven at WWK Arena.

Opponents Freiburg were clinical in the final third against Werder Bremen, scoring five times despite only creating four big chances, though they were fortunate that the Green-Whites missed a 39th-minute penalty when they were trailing 2-0.

The visitors occupy the division's final Champions League qualification spot but are only one point ahead of both fifth-placed Mainz 05 and sixth-placed RB Leipzig, and victory on Sunday could be essential given they take on both teams in their following two games.

Breisgau-Brasilianer boast an impressive record against Augsburg, with the club having lost just once in their past 12 meetings, winning eight of those encounters including in the reverse fixture this season when they won 3-1 on October 19.

Manager Julian Schuster will be delighted by his side's performances considering they have triumphed in their four most recent games without conceding.

Their good form of late includes 1-0 away victories in their last two matches on the road, though it should be noted that they lost five and drew one of their previous six away from home.

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

W

W

D

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W

Augsburg form (all competitions):

W

D

L

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D

W

Freiburg Bundesliga form:

L

L

W

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W

Team News

Augsburg will have to find ways of dealing with the absence of defenders Henri Koudossou, Robert Gumny and Mads Valentin Pedersen.

Expect Dimitrios Matsima, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Cedric Zesiger to start in a back three behind a double pivot of Kristijan Jakic and Frank Onyeka.

Striker Mergim Berisha's hip injury may keep him out of action until late March, so perhaps Phillip Tietz will be given the nod up front.

The visitors will be without centre-backs Max Rosenfelder and Manuel Gulde, as well as midfielder Daniel-Kofi Kyereh.

Schuster could select Matthias Ginter and Philipp Lienhart in the heart of defence behind midfielders Maximilian Eggestein and Patrick Osterhage.

In the forward line, Freiburg may field Ritsu Doan, Merlin Rohl and Vincenzo Grifo in supportive roles behind Lucas Holer.

Augsburg possible starting lineup:

Dahmen; Matsima, Gouweleeuw, Zesiger; Wolf, Jakic, Onyeka, Giannoulis; Claude-Maurice, Jensen; Tietz

Freiburg possible starting lineup:

Atubolu; Sildillia, Ginter, Lienhart, Gunter; Eggestein, Osterhage; Doan, Rohl, Grifo; Holer

We say: Augsburg 0-2 Freiburg

Freiburg have been excellent from a defensive perspective, and it is difficult to see them conceding many chances on Sunday.

Written by

Lewis Nolan

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