Bundesliga Preview: Augsburg’s Poor Defensive Performance and Dortmund Coach Şahin’s Questionable Moves

At 21:30 on October 26, in the 8th round of the Bundesliga, Augsburg will host Dortmund at the WWK Arena.

In the 7th round of the Bundesliga on October 19, Augsburg suffered a 1-3 defeat to Freiburg away. The team’s defense completely collapsed in the last 10 minutes of the first half, conceding three goals, although the opponents’ expected goals were far below three. This clearly indicates the weakness of Augsburg’s defensive line this season. Additionally, before the match against Freiburg, Augsburg’s coach Florian Topp boasted that “this game will showcase the team’s excellent current form.” However, after such a poor performance, the Danish coach was left speechless.

Currently, in the Bundesliga standings, Augsburg is temporarily ranked 15th with 2 wins, 1 draw, and 4 losses. Given that they secured early safety from relegation last season, the team faces some pressure this year. However, in their four home league matches this season, Augsburg has achieved an impressive record of 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, averaging 2.25 goals per game, with strong performances against teams like St. Pauli, Mönchengladbach, and Werder Bremen. However, Augsburg will face Schalke 04 in the DFB-Pokal at home just three days later. The team has traditionally placed a high emphasis on cup competitions, so the double fixture within a week will pose a significant physical challenge.

In terms of the squad, Augsburg midfielder Yaku Kyei announced his injury this week, but it appears that this key central player still has a good chance of recovering in time for the match against Dortmund. Additionally, goalkeeper Nico Klein, defender Philipp Pettersen, winger Fredrik Jensen, and attacker Ruben Vargas are all out due to injuries. However, center-forward Felix Uduokhai, who scored in the previous match, has a good chance of starting again.

Dortmund managed a tough 2-1 win over promoted St. Pauli at home in the last round of the league. After taking the lead with a header from Ben Sébaci, the team maintained a slow tempo by passing in the back. However, a stunning long-range goal by St. Pauli’s central defender Smith completely disrupted Şahin’s plan. If it weren’t for the excellent performance and assist from substitute Gio Reyna, Dortmund would likely have been held to a draw in this home match. In the midweek Champions League match, Dortmund suffered a shocking 5-2 comeback loss to Real Madrid after leading 2-0. Coach Şahin’s decision to bring on central defender Anton at 2-0 sparked fury among fans, but the club’s management continues to support him.

Currently, in the Bundesliga standings, Dortmund is temporarily ranked 7th with 4 wins, 1 draw, and 2 losses. The team has maintained a perfect record in four home matches this season, but their away performance has been poor, securing only one point against Werder Bremen and losing to Stuttgart and Union Berlin. Moreover, with multiple competitions, Dortmund will face Wolfsburg away in the DFB-Pokal next week. Three consecutive away matches will be a significant test for the struggling away team.

In terms of the squad, Dortmund’s main striker Adeyemi continues to be sidelined due to a hamstring injury, and left-back Janik Jankto will also miss the match due to muscle problems. Furthermore, substitutes Daramy, Reyna, and Süle are not expected to return until next month. However, it’s worth noting that Dortmund’s main scorer, Guirassy, has delivered an outstanding performance with 7 goals and 1 assist this season. The strong and physical Guinean forward scored in the last league match and provided an assist in the game against Real Madrid.

In the past 20 encounters between the two teams, Dortmund has a psychological advantage with 12 wins, 5 draws, and 3 losses. In this round of the league, the strong home team Augsburg aims to quickly get back on track. Will the team with a tight schedule and a questioned coach manage to secure all three points?

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