Despite their wretched Bundesliga run, Holstein Kiel aim to head into the winter break with positivity when they welcome Augsburg in Saturday's gameweek 15 clash at Holstein-Stadion.
The debutants have struggled in their maiden top-flight campaign, notching five points after 14 games, but hope for some festive cheer against the competition's 13th-placed club.
Match preview
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Marcel Rapp has not enjoyed the opening 14 rounds in the big time, as highlighted by Kiel winning only once ahead of their 15th top-flight fixture.
With 14 goals scored and 37 conceded, the new boys are among the worst teams in both boxes, and those statistics underscore their struggles.
Statistically, the Storks are the worst debutants at this stage since the turn of the Millennium, with Tasmania Berlin's 1965-66 start (four points if converted to three points per win) matching Kiel's miserable results.
No club has ever avoided relegation with such a start, highlighting the magnitude of the task facing Rapp's side in the New Year.
Losing 4-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach last Saturday inflicted the promoted club's fifth consecutive defeat and 11th overall this term — a joint low with bottom side Bochum.
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While they aim to notch a second success in front of their fans this term, Augsburg also desire a pick-me-up before the extended hiatus, keen to secure their first Bundesliga win in December at the third time of asking and a second in seven games.
Jess Thorup has challenged his side to secure maximum points before the winter break, even if that requires the Bavarians to end a winless road run going back to mid-March when they beat Wolfsburg 3-1.
Since that March 16 triumph, Fuggerstadter have lost eight of 10 top-flight fixtures, playing out two draws at Wolfsburg (1-1) and early-season high-flyers Eintracht Frankfurt (2-2).
Noticeably, both of those draws have come recently, possibly sprinkling some optimism ahead of Saturday's visit to lowly Kiel, who have conceded more than one goal in 13 of 14 Bundesliga rounds this term.
Although Augsburg have scored more than one goal in only one away game this season (the 2-2 draw at Frankfurt), they hope that Kiel's defence, known for its vulnerability, will not suddenly become watertight this weekend.
Team News
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Kiel have several injury worries ahead of their final match of 2024: Patrick Erras is missing because of a concussion, Marco Komenda and Marvin Schulz have groin issues, and Colin Kleine-Bekel (knee) and Timo Becker (toe) are also missing.
Although Shuto Machino leads the goalscoring charts for the hosts, the 25-year-old has not scored since bagging a brace against Frankfurt in September, ultimately seeing him start fewer games in recent gameweeks.
Augsburg's Jeffrey Gouweleeuw is banned for one game after picking his fifth yellow card this term in the previous round against Bayer Leverkusen.
Also absent are Finn Dahmen (shoulder), Yusuf Kabadayi (knee), Masaya Okugawa (thigh), Reece Oxford (match fitness) and Mads Valentin Pedersen (groin).
Phillip Tietz and Alexis Claude-Maurice have scored a combined eight goals for the away side, and both could be pivotal to ending the Bavarians' wait for a first road success since March.
Holstein Kiel possible starting lineup:
Weiner; Ivezic, Komenda, Geschwill; Rosenboom, Holtby, Remberg, Gigovic, Porath; Skrzybski, Harres
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Labrovic; Matsima, Bauer, Schlotterbeck; Wolf, Onyeka, Jakic, Rexhbecaj, Giannoulis; Tietz, Claude-Maurice
We say: Holstein Kiel 1-2 Augsburg
Augsburg's away form has been a cause for concern, with their last victory on the road coming nine months ago.
However, Kiel's defensive frailties present a golden opportunity for the Bavarians to rediscover their winning touch and condemn the promoted side to their 12th defeat this term.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
