Bayer Leverkusen are looking to rebound from an opening day 1-0 loss to Borussia Dortmund. Augsburg could provide the Company XI with a first win as the visitors for this Saturday’s game are tipped to battle relegation.
Augsburg suffered a 4-0 pasting at the hands of Freiburg to start the season. It wasn’t a great start for the team and things may not get any better versus Bayer Leverkusen.
What's in the week ahead?... Bayer 04 squad will regroup at Monday training with home games against FC Augsburg on Saturday and Hoffenheim on August 20 up next. pic.twitter.com/vrJLBxWRBd— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) August 7, 2022
What's in the week ahead?... Bayer 04 squad will regroup at Monday training with home games against FC Augsburg on Saturday and Hoffenheim on August 20 up next. pic.twitter.com/vrJLBxWRBd
Bayer Leverkusen go into the match unbeaten in six straight games against Augsburg. The Company XI posted a record of 5W-1D-0L in their last six games versus Augsburg in all competitions. Last season, Bayer Leverkusen won 4-1 and 5-1 against Augsburg in their two Bundesliga encounters.
On matchday No. 1 of the Bundesliga season, results were pretty evenly matched around the league. Home teams won 44% of all matches while away teams collected 33% of wins. Meanwhile, there were two draws.
Bayer Leverkusen will be aiming for a win and to get their first points on the board. Coach Gerardo Seoane hasn’t had many reinforcements come into the club this summer. The club sold striker Lucas Alario to Eintracht Frankfurt but have not replaced him.
Rumours ahead of matchday No. 2 are that Bayer Leverkusen could sell Moussa Diaby to Arsenal for £60 million. If Diaby leaves, it would leave a hole in the Bayer squad.
Augsburg lack quality throughout the squad. They finished just five points above the relegation-playoff place last term and the team has not been strengthened. Coach Enrico Maaßen used a 3-5-2 formation against Freiburg to little success.
It didn’t help that Maaßen has a number of player issues. He could be without eight first-team players. Defender Reece Oxford could be passed fit for the game after not playing last week due to a lack of match fitness.
Lukas Petkov, Niklas Dorsch, and Tobias Strobl are all set to miss out through injury. Lasse Gunther and Dikeni Salifou could also miss the fixture through their respective injuries.
Bayer will be without first-choice goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky due to a suspension. Midfielder Robert Andrich is ruled out with a hip injury and Florian Wirtz remains sidelined with an ACL injury.
Augsburg are likely to battle relegation and with Schalke and Werder Bremen coming up, it could be Fuggerstädter that finally goals down.
Bayer Leverkusen should post a win with the final score being 3-1. Patrik Schick should be fit and could get on the scoresheet for the Company XI.