Augsburg against Union: Fight for important points in a decisive duel!

Augsburg against Union: Fight for important points in a decisive duel!

On Thursday evening at 8:30 p.m. the time has finally come: FC Augsburg welcomes Union Berlin for the decisive game at the end of the first half of the Bundesliga. Both teams are under enormous pressure this season, but the starting points couldn't be more different. While FC Augsburg hovers in 15th place with just 14 points after 16 games, Union Berlin has shown a clear upward trend with two wins and a draw in the last three games. [Antenne] reports that Augsburg's coach Manuel Baum has already reacted to the pressure and is hoping for six points from the next two home games against Union and SC Freiburg.

Despite the positive results in the last few games, Union Berlin is historically the inferior team: in 16 meetings with Augsburg, Union was only able to achieve two wins. This could pose a challenge for coach Steffen Baumgart, whose contract was recently extended. However, not a word was said about the duration. The importance of this game for Augsburg is enormous, as there are only two points between them and a direct relegation zone. [Sportschau] paints a picture of the drama with which both clubs go into the game.

Home game with ambivalent signs

The situation for Augsburg is not exactly rosy. The team hasn't scored a single goal in its last three league games and most recently went into the winter break with a 4-0 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Irina Fuchs from the “Rosenau Gazette” describes the club’s sporting orientation as disorientated, a situation that needs to be changed as quickly as possible. Coach Manuel Baum also describes the Berliners as unpleasant opponents, especially when it comes to standard situations.

On the other hand, Union Berlin comes to Augsburg with a lot of self-confidence. “We are unbeaten in the last three games and I am optimistic that we can continue this positive series,” said Baumgart before the game. The team has settled in well and the starting eleven could feature Rönnow in goal as well as a number of talented players such as Khedira and Jeong. Anton Kade, a Berlin native and former youth player at Hertha BSC, is highlighted as one of the key factors in his team's success.

The challenge of catch-up games

The games to be made up will also be crucial for the course of the coming weeks. Three games have to be postponed due to weather conditions, which represents an additional burden for many teams. The DFL has already announced that Thursday games should also play a more important role in the current rights period until the 2028/29 season. The game between Augsburg and Union is the first and only Thursday game this season, which attracts additional attention.[Transfermarkt] also lists numerous coaching changes in the Bundesliga, but Augsburg continues to rely on the collaboration with Baum.

The predictions for the game are divided. While Irina Fuchs suggests a 1-1 draw, the editorial teams believe that Union Berlin could win the game 2-1. Whatever the outcome, one thing is certain: both teams are under pressure and the outcome of the game could be crucial for the rest of the season.