Who will make a bad start in 2022?
There are teams in the Bundesliga that actually got off to a lightning start in the new year, but at the end of the day didn’t get off to a good start in the second half. FC Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt, who meet on Sunday, are among them. Both led in their respective games last weekend, but were still beaten in the end.
Markus Weinzierl’s team is currently in the relegation place. It’s still close, but the spirit of optimism that they wanted to create in the Fuggerstadt during the winter break is almost gone again. That’s why a home win against the Hessians should be a must.
Eintracht had already been aiming for the top third of the table, but must now make do with mediocrity for the time being. They are currently in eighth place, but only one point behind the international places. From a purely ranking point of view, the prediction in the duel between Augsburg and Frankfurt should be for an away win.
But the puppet players should not allow themselves another defeat on Sunday. If things go badly, they will then slip into a direct relegation spot, as the two teams below FCA play each other in a direct duel. It could be a bitter matchday for the Bavarian Swabians, because according to our first assessment, you are better off betting on a success for the visitors in the duel between Augsburg and Frankfurt.
Augsburg – Statistics & current form
Of course Markus Weinzierl will prepare his team conscientiously for the match on Sunday. But only he will know whether he will change anything compared to his previous games against Eintracht. In his last five Bundesliga games against Eintracht, Markus Weinzierl picked up just one point as coach and his teams failed to score a single goal.
Gregoritsch as hopeful
Generally, FCA’s form leaves a lot to be desired. There has only been one win in the last six Bundesliga games. On the other hand, Michael Gregoritsch is in good form. He scored with his head in each of the last three games in the top flight. Perhaps the odds on a goal from the long Austrian should be targeted between Augsburg and Frankfurt.
Last weekend, FC Augsburg were guests in Sinsheim and got off to a perfect start. After only five minutes, Michael Gregoritsch provided the 1:0 lead. Shortly before the break, however, Hoffenheim turned the game around with a brace and in second-half stoppage time Rafal Gikiewicz conceded the goal to make the final score 1:3.
There will definitely be a change in central defence on Sunday. Jeffrey Gouweleeuw will be absent due to muscular problems. Reece Oxford will return to the team after serving his yellow ban. Tomas Koubek, who is in quarantine, and Tobias Strobl, who has torn his cruciate ligament, will also be absent.
Predicted line-up of Augsburg:
Gikiewicz – Gumny, Oxford, Uduokhai, Iago – Dorsch, Maier, Hahn, Vargas, Niederlechner, Gregoritsch – Coach: Weinzierl
Last matches played by Augsburg:
1st Bundesliga
01/08 2022 – Hoffenheim 3 – 1 Augsburg
12/18 2021 – Greuther Fürth 0 – 0 Augsburg
12/15 2021 – Augsburg 1 – 1 RB Leipzig
12/10 2021 – 1. FC Köln 0 – 2 Augsburg
12/04 2021 – Augsburg 2 – 3 Vfl Bochum
Frankfurt – Statistics & current form
If Markus Weinzierl has a poor record against Eintracht, then the exact opposite can be said of Oliver Glasner against FCA. The SGE coach has never lost to the Fuggerstädter in the Bundesliga as a coach. In the two wins and three draws, his teams conceded just one goal in total.
Hesse strong away from home
Although there was a setback last week, Eintracht are on their way to international contention. The Hessians have won three of their last four away games and Rafael Borre in particular has emerged as a cracker, scoring four goals in his last five Bundesliga games. Furthermore, there is more to be said for predicting an away win before the clash between Augsburg and Frankfurt.
Last week, the victory against Borussia Dortmund was obviously already in the bag. Rafael Borre gave his team a 2-0 lead with a brace. BVB only managed to score in the 71st minute. Eintracht were still in the lead just a few minutes before the end, but then Borussia struck twice and inflicted a bitter 3-2 defeat on the Hessians.
Overall, Oliver Glasner cannot complain about the current personnel situation. Danny da Costa and Erik Durm are missing after a positive PCR test. Otherwise, there is no new bad news Jens-Petter Hauge and Christopher Lenz are still in rehabilitation training and are not yet an option. Makoto Hasebe, on the other hand, could be an alternative for the three-man backline.
Predicted Frankfurt line-up:
Trapp – Tuta, Hinteregger, Ndicka – Sow, Rode – Chandler, Kostic, Kamada, Lindström – Borre – coach: Glasner
Last matches played by Frankfurt:
1st Bundesliga
01/08 2022 – Eintracht Frankfurt 2 – 3 Borussia Dortmund
12/18 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 1 – 0 Mainz 05
12/15 2021 – Borussia Mönchengladbach 2 – 3 Eintracht Frankfurt
12/12 2021 – Eintracht Frankfurt 5 – 2 Bayer Leverkusen
Europa League Grp. D
12/09 2021 – Fenerbahçe 1 – 1 Eintracht Frankfurt
Augsburg – Frankfurt Direct Comparison / H2H Balance
The played duels between FC Augsburg and Eintracht Frankfurt are in two different time sectors. Before the introduction of the Bundesliga, both teams kicked together in the Oberliga Süd for a long time. In the meantime, 19 of the 47 games have been played in the Bundesliga. The direct comparison speaks in favour of Eintracht with 22:14 wins and eleven draws.
The Frankfurt side have taken ten out of a possible twelve points from their last four direct encounters against the Puppenspieler and have not conceded a single goal. However, Eintracht had to settle for a goalless draw in their own arena on the second matchday of the current season.
Augsburg – Frankfurt Tip
Both teams lost their second-round opener last week. In the process, both initially led. If you want to avoid a false start in 2022, it would be best to win the direct duel on Sunday. Of course, the Hessians have the better cards, because Eintracht is clearly in better shape.
Frankfurt have won three of their last four away games. FCA, on the other hand, have only won one of their last six Bundesliga games. In addition, things are not going well for Markus Weinzierl against the SGE, while Oliver Glasner has a very good record against the Puppenspieler. From there, the puzzle is coming together, making a bet on an away win the preferred bet in the clash between Augsburg and Frankfurt.
In addition, the Hessians have picked up ten points from their last four games against FCA and have not conceded a goal.
