Borussia Dortmund will be looking to make it consecutive wins in the league when they host FC Augsburg at the Signal Iduna Park on Saturday. The German giants will look to further strengthen their position inside the top four, while Augsburg will look to get things back on track after their three-match winning streak came to an end last time out.
The home team are second on the table with 55 points in their 25 outings. While the Black and Yellows were hoping to rival Bayern Munich for the league title, they are 11 points behind the leaders with just nine games to go. As things stand, the title race is already done and dusted.
Borussia Dortmund have an eight-point lead over fifth-placed RB Leipzig. While Niko Kovac’s men are in a comfortable position, they cannot afford to relax just yet. After dropping points in consecutive fixtures, the team in yellow and black returned to winning ways against FC Koln. They will be hoping to build on it and end the season on a high.
Meanwhile, the visitors are ninth on the table with 31 points in their 25 outings. They are hoping to secure a top-half finish as we gear up for the final phase of the season. After a run of three straight wins against FC Heidenheim, VfL Wolfsburg, and FC Koln, Augsburg suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of RB Leipzig last time out.
An injury-time own goal by Arthur Chaves resulted in the defeat, and they will be hoping to get over it and return to winning ways against Dortmund. However, they are aware that taking down one of the giants of German football won’t be easy. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
The home team will be without the services of Emre Can (knee injury) and Ramy Bensebaini (suspended) for this fixture.
Borussia Dortmund will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, where Gregor Kobel will take charge in goal. In the heart of the defence, Nico Schlotterbeck will start alongside Waldemar Anton and Niklas Sule. The trio will look to keep things tight at the back, and they will receive significant support from Julian Ryerson and Daniel Svensson, who will take charge as wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Felix Nmecha will start alongside Marcel Sabitzer in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure they dominate the ball and control the tempo of the game.
In the final third, Serhou Guirassy will continue to lead the line for Borussia Dortmund against FC Augsburg, while Julian Brandt and Maximilian Beier will take charge as the two attacking midfielders behind him.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Kobel; Sule, Anton, Nico Schlotterbeck; Ryerson, Sabitzer, Nmecha, Svensson; Beier, Brandt; Guirassy
Augsburg could arrive at this fixture with a fully fit squad, as Yannik Keitel (knee) is the only one whose availability is a major doubt. The visitors will also be lining up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, where Finn Dahmen will feature in goals.
Noahkai Banks, who is back from suspension, will return to the starting XI. He will partner Keven Schlotterbeck and Cedric Zesiger in the heart of the defence. The trio will have a lot of defending to do, and they will be supported by the likes of Robin Fellhauer and Dimitrios Giannoulis, who will take charge as the wing-backs.
As for the midfield unit, Kristijan Jakic will start alongside Han-Noah Massengo in the centre of the park. The duo will try to ensure that the Borussia Dortmund midfielders do not run the show. Fabian Rieder and Alexis Claude-Maurice will feature as the two number tens behind 20-year-old Rodrigo Ribeiro, who spearhead the FC Augsburg attack against Borussia Dortmund.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Dahmen; Banks, Keven Schlotterbeck, Zesiger; Fellhauer, Jakic, Massengo, Giannoulis; Rieder, Claude-Maurice; Ribeiro
The German international has only gone from strength to strength over the last few seasons. He is enjoying another impressive campaign with Borussia Dortmund. The 25-year-old has been involved in 38 games across competitions and has contributed towards eight goals.
The central midfielder is the one running the show for the German giants. While an impressive rise has attracted a lot of interest, Borussia Dortmund have secured his long-term future with a new deal. Nmecha will now look to celebrate the lucrative contract with a stellar performance against Augsburg.
Borussia Dortmund will head into this fixture with plenty of confidence, given their strong home record this season. Playing in front of the Signal Iduna Park crowd, the hosts are expected to dominate possession and push Augsburg onto the back foot from the start.
However, Augsburg have shown they can be a tricky opponent and will look to stay compact and hit Borussia Dortmund on the counter. While the visitors might create a few problems, the quality in the home side’s attacking unit should eventually make the difference.
Expect the home side to edge a competitive contest and secure another important three points. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for Niko Kovac and his charges.
