Underscoring FCA’s European ambitions?

Ermedin Demirovic has had a fantastic season so far. The FCA captain has led his team onto the pitch in all 26 Bundesliga matches and is one of the top scorers in the German top flight with 22 goals. His tally of goals (14) and assists (eight) is twice as high as that of Augsburg’s second-best player. On Sunday afternoon, however, the Fuggerstädter will be without their most important attacking player. The Hamburg-born Bosnian international picked up his fifth yellow card before the international break and is therefore condemned to watch on the weekend

Nonetheless, coach Jess Thorup’s team find themselves in the role of favorites for the 27th matchday in the Bundesliga. There is much to suggest that the Bavarian Swabians will get the job done against the relegation-threatened Cologne side in front of a home crowd. The bookmakers also fully share this view and are offering significantly lower odds for a home win ahead of the Augsburg v Cologne clash. The implied probability of victory is 55%.

However, the fact that the Billy Goats have won all three of their most recent away games at FCA and have not had such a long run of success away from home against any other Bundesliga team should give us pause for thought. Otherwise, however, the arguments in favor of Schultz’s team are limited, which is why the first tendency between Augsburg and Cologne is to predict the surprise seventh-placed team in the current Bundesliga table. At Interwetten, there is currently an appealing 1.77 for the host team to win. You are also entitled to a first deposit bonus of up to 100 euros at Interwetten if you register as a new customer.

Augsburg – Statistics & current form

FC Augsburg have undoubtedly been one of the positive surprises so far this season. Strictly speaking, however, the period of extraordinary success can even be limited to the second half of the season, because while the Fuggerstädter still had to make do with a place in no man’s land in the table before the winter break and had to look downwards rather than upwards, the tide has now turned.

Thanks to an impressive run of four wins in a row, coach Jess Thorup’s side have moved up to seventh place in the table. Against Freiburg, Darmstadt, Heidenheim and Wolfsburg, the southern Swabians left the pitch as winners without exception, scoring a more than impressive twelve goals in the process and can therefore even dream of a return to the international stage. Should Leverkusen win the DFB Cup and/or the German clubs earn an additional European starting berth for 2024/25 in the European Cup, seventh place would be enough for them to make their mark in the Conference League next season.

The Augsburgers must never be written off

However, there is still a long way to go, which, if the FCA managers have their way, should continue successfully on Sunday. First and foremost, Augsburg are relying on their strength in form. They have already bagged 17 points in nine games in the second half of the season. Thanks to a strong record of five wins, two draws and two defeats (Bayern, Mainz), the red-green-and-whites are the fourth-best team in the second half of the Bundesliga season. The Fuggerstädter have never played a better second half of a season in the German top flight.

In addition, the comeback qualities of the seventh-placed team must be particularly emphasized. The team from one of Germany’s oldest cities has already picked up 23 points after falling behind. Since the introduction of the three-point rule, only Bayer Leverkusen have scored more points after falling behind in 1999/2000 (29). Anyone looking to bet on another win after FCA initially fell behind can dust off a whopping 7.00 at Betano Sportwetten.

Predicted Augsburg line-up:

Cologne – Statistics & current form

After winning four points from their first five Bundesliga games after the winter break, it felt as though FC Köln could bounce back and make the leap to safety thanks to an excellent second half of the season. The 5-1 defeat at home to RB Leipzig before the international break was particularly painful and also underlined the fact that the Billy Goats have to compete with other teams in Germany’s top flight in terms of quality.

Despite the fact that Cologne have just as many draws as defeats in the second half of the season (four each), there are only two teams – VfL Wolfsburg and Darmstadt 98 – who are still behind the Effzeh in the table for the second half of the season. In purely statistical terms, therefore, there is relatively little evidence of the upward trend that has been suggested. Because we conclude from this that the Rhinelanders may even come off a little too well in the public perception, we are not offering odds for the Augsburg vs Cologne match that are aimed at a surprise coup for the relegation candidates

Cologne hoping for standard strength

This is not least due to the fact that the defense recently allowed itself too many lapses again. Five goals conceded against Leipzig, three goals conceded in the Rhineland derby against Borussia Mönchengladbach and a large number of goalscoring chances conceded against leaders Leverkusen have once again stalled the developmental steps that have already been taken in working against the ball.

As Cologne also continue to have the weakest attack in the Bundesliga and have only managed to score ten goals in 13 attempts away from home, they would need a significant improvement in stability if they are to take any points from the WWK Arena. However, according to the Augsburg vs Cologne odds on the three-way market, the chances are not particularly good.

At least Timo Schultz can breathe a sigh of relief in terms of personnel. Although three attacking players – Diehl, Uth and Dietz – are still missing, Luca Waldschmidt could return to the squad for the first time after injury. However, there is a question mark over the fitness of Max Finkgräfe, who is struggling with back problems and has only been able to train to a limited extent. The first alternative in the left-back position would be Leart Paqarada. In attack, the Domstädter are hoping for Davie Selke and his strength from set pieces. 55% of all goals (eleven out of 20) were scored from resting balls. In addition, FCA have already conceded 18 goals from set-pieces – more than any other first division team.

Predicted Cologne line-up:

Augsburg – Cologne Direct comparison / H2H balance

On Sunday afternoon, the 20th meeting between these clubs in the Bundesliga awaits us at the WWK Arena. FC Augsburg lead the direct comparison with seven wins, five draws and five defeats. In the first six home matches against 1. FC Köln in the Bundesliga, the Fuggerstädter remained completely undefeated (3-3-0). However, the most recent three matches in Augsburg have all ended in away wins for the Rhinelanders, who have scored a total of nine goals. However, the first leg of the current season was a rather tough affair. Maina put Cologne 1:0 ahead, Tietz equalized before the break to make it 1:1.

Augsburg – Cologne tip

The moods at FC Augsburg and 1. FC Köln could hardly be much more different at the moment. Having started the season with roughly the same goals, the Rhinelanders’ sole aim in the final sprint of the season is to leave two or at best three teams behind them in the Bundesliga relegation battle. The Fuggerstädter, on the other hand, are looking upwards and are even aiming for a European starting place thanks to their recent run of victories.

This is one of the reasons why coach Jess Thorup’s team are favorites in the home match against the cathedral city team. The betting odds for a home win between Augsburg and Cologne are 1.77. No wonder, as FCA have won all four of their previous Sunday games in the Bundesliga under the Danish coach. Added to this is the aforementioned momentum thanks to four wins in a row and the fact that the visitors have only won one of their last 13 league matches

Although the hosts will be without Ermedin Demirovic, who is by far their top scorer, we believe that FCA’s entire structure is currently stronger than that of the Rhinelanders. As a result, we recommend betting on a home win between Augsburg and Cologne and risk seven units as a stake. We have found the top odds at Interwetten