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Augsburg logo
Bundesliga | Gameweek 9
Oct 28, 2023 at 2.30pm UK
WWK Arena
Wolfsburg

Augsburg
3 - 2
Wolfsburg

Tietz (17'), Bornauw (79' og.), Engels (81')
Gouweleeuw (45+5'), Pedersen (45+5'), Rexhbecaj (73'), Uduokhai (84'), Beljo (85')
Uduokhai (87')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Wind (35'), Majer (45' pen.)
Maehle (6'), Tomas (66'), Arnold (73'), Bornauw (90+2')

Preview: Augsburg vs. Wolfsburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Bundesliga clash between Augsburg and Wolfsburg, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

Augsburg will be aiming to make it two wins in a row when they host Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

The visitors, meanwhile, will be aiming to bounce back from consecutive defeats when they arrive in Bavaria.


Match preview

FC Augsburg's Ermedin Demirovic in action on August 27, 2023© Reuters

Augsburg had suffered successive losses themselves prior to the international break, and they appeared on course for a third straight defeat when falling 2-0 down away to Heidenheim last weekend.

However, Jess Thorup's side showed excellent spirit and quality to overturn that deficit before the half-time whistle had even been blown, with Mads Pedersen and Ermedin Demirovic both scoring within a minute of each other after Phillip Tietz had pulled one back.

Fuggerstadter faced plenty of pressure from the hosts after the break, but strikes from Felix Uduokhai and Elvis Rexhbecaj removed any doubts for their side, as they secured only their second league win of the season to move up to 10th in the table.

Indeed, Thorup's side find themselves only one position behind their forthcoming opponents ahead of facing them at the Augsburg Arena on Saturday, but they cannot move above them into the top half as there is a four-point gap between the sides.

Regardless, the Dane and his players will be hopeful of building momentum and putting further distance between themselves and the relegation zone in the process.

Wolfsburg coach Niko Kovac before the match on October 21, 2023© Reuters

Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will be grateful to be facing a team beneath them in the table having lost to the division's current top two either side of the international break.

As has been the case for most teams so far this season, Stuttgart proved too strong for the Wolves, with Serhou Guirassy continuing his hot streak in front of goal with a second-half hat-trick. Niko Kovac's side succeeded to fall to a narrow defeat at home to league leaders Bayer Leverkusen last time out.

The Wolves had bit back through Maxence Lacroix's effort to cancel out Jeremie Frimpong's early opener, but Frimpong's opposite wing-back Alex Grimaldo restored the visitors' lead with a superb strike after the hour mark, which ultimately proved enough for Xabi Alonso's side to hold onto all three points and their place at the Bundesliga's summit.

Wolfsburg's results during the early weeks of the season suggest that they are still lacking a degree of quality and belief to compete with Germany's strongest teams, but European qualification remains the aim for Kovac and his players, and returning to winning ways on Saturday would set them back on track towards that target.

Augsburg Bundesliga form:

Wolfsburg Bundesliga form:


Team News

Wolfsburg's Jonas Wind celebrates after the match on September 16, 2023© Reuters

Augsburg may be forced to replace Tietz in attack as the 26-year-old suffered a muscle injury after pulling a goal back during the win against Heidenheim last weekend, with Dion Drena Beljo the most likely candidate to do so.

Thorup will already have to make to do without Ruben Vargas, Kevin Mbabu, Reece Oxford, Raphael Framberger and Japhet Tanganga due to injury, meaning that he is unlikely to make any other changes to a winning team.

Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will remain without Lukas Nmecha due to a knee injury, with the Germany striker unlikely to return until after the winter break having undergone surgery to fix the issue.

Kilian Fischer is ruled out for similar reasons, while Koen Casteels, Rogerio, Vaclav Cerny and Felix Lange may also miss out.

Kovac switched to a back three against Leverkusen last time out, but this was likely in order to match up against Alonso's side's system, meaning that Lovro Majer could displace Sebastian Bornauw to provide the visitors with more control in midfield.


Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Gumny, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Pedersen; Jensen, Rexhbecaj, Dorsch, Demirovic; Michel, Beljo

Wolfsburg possible starting lineup:
Pervan; Baku, Lacroix, Jenz, Maehle; Svanberg, Arnold; Majer, Gerhardt, Tomas; Wind


SM words green background

We say: Augsburg 1-1 Wolfsburg

Augsburg's comeback against Heidenheim last weekend is likely to have provided them with renewed confidence after making a slow start under Thorup, but injuries continue to plague them.

As such, we would be surprised if Wolfsburg fall to a third successive defeat, but they may have to settle for a well-earned point on the road.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting over 2.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Over 2.5:data


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Written by
Brett Curtis

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Game History

How you voted: Augsburg vs Wolfsburg

Augsburg
25.7%
Draw
37.1%
Wolfsburg
37.1%
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Bayern MunichBayern15113147133436
2Bayer LeverkusenB. Leverkusen1595137211632
3Eintracht FrankfurtFrankfurt1583435231227
4RB Leipzig158342420427
5Mainz 05Mainz157442820825
6Borussia DortmundDortmund157442822625
7Werder Bremen157442625125
8Borussia MonchengladbachBorussia M'bach157352520524
9Freiburg157352124-324
10Stuttgart156542925423
11Wolfsburg156363228421
12Union BerlinUnion Berlin154561419-517
13Augsburg154471732-1516
14St Pauli154291219-714
15Hoffenheim153572028-814
16Heidenheim1531111833-1510
17Holstein Kiel1522111938-198
18VfL BochumVfL Bochum1513111335-226


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