While the football professionals in Germany in “normal” seasons shortly before Christmas Eve are not only happy to spend Christmas with their loved ones, but also to have a few days off training, things will be completely different in 2020/21. There can be no question of a break, because on the first weekend in January the two top divisions will start playing again.
Nevertheless, the second round matches in the DFB Pokal on Tuesday and Wednesday are often referred to as the last feat of strength before the holidays. No wonder, because the international teams in particular are whistling from the last holes in terms of personnel and workload. That in turn does not change the fact that between Augsburg and RB Leipzig lower odds are offered on a victory for the Saxons.
In the new edition of the quarter-finals from last season, there is a certain tension in the air even before the kick-off. The reason for this is Augsburg’s refusal to postpone the “Red Bulls” who, like Leverkusen or FC Bayern, did not want to play the match until the new year. This continued a dispute between the two clubs that had been going on for several years, which – at least in terms of sport – should be put aside on Tuesday evening from 17:30 p.m.
Between Augsburg and RB Leipzig, the prognosis should take into account that the team of coach Heiko Herrlich only won one of the last seven Bundesliga games and revealed weaknesses, especially in their own stadium. The guests, on the other hand, have not lost at the national level since the end of October and undoubtedly have more individual class, although Coach Nagelsmann will most likely have to do without one or the other player.
Augsburg :
Once again this season, FC Augsburg distinguishes itself as the personified mediocrity. As eleventh in the table in the Bundesliga, the Fuggerstadt team have 16 points on their account and are just as large behind the European Cup as they are ahead of the relegation zone. Those responsible around trainer Heiko Herrlich will not be completely satisfied with the result, especially in the last few weeks.
From the last seven Bundesliga games, FCA had only one threesome in the flattering 1-0 win in Bielefeld. In addition, there were three point-sharing and three defeats – the last one last weekend in a 2-0 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, when it became clear once again what the White-Red-Greens are most stuck with this season: their own offensive!
Although Niederlechner and Co. only failed to score in four of 13 matches, only 15 have been scored so far. For comparison: only the teams in places 15-18 scored less often than the Augsburg team, who also had to struggle with a temporary weakness at home.
None of the past four matches in their own stadium were victorious. The bottom line is that the Herrlich-Elf conceded more goals at home than abroad. In connection with the recently decreased self-confidence and the fact that with Sarenren Bazee, Hahn, Moravek, Jensen and probably also left-back Pedersen, important players are still missing, we would on Tuesday – despite the cup character – between Augsburg and RB Leipzig from a tip on that Foresee progress of the underdog.
RB Leipzig.
RB Leipzig will play their seventh competitive game next Tuesday in December 2020. It is not really surprising that in the third consecutive week in England the strength is slowly dwindling and the injury problem is causing additional worry lines on the forehead of coach Julian Nagelsmann. The former Hoffenheimer is likely to have been all the more disappointed or even angry that the FCA rejected the Saxons’ request for a game to be postponed to the new year.
In view of this little solidarity by the Fuggerstadters, it will certainly not be difficult for the guests from the central city to motivate themselves for the upcoming match in the second round of the DFB Cup. In addition to the additional boost of motivation, the current constitution between Augsburg and RB Leipzig also suggests a prognosis for the 2019 finalist, who traditionally takes the competition very seriously.
In fact, the “Red Bulls” have not yet lost any of the six competitive games this month (four wins, two draws), even though they have already played against well-known teams such as FC Bayern and Manchester United. In general, the course of the season so far is absolutely impressive, because as third, RBL continues to follow the front runners and record champions from Munich. In addition, the East Germans survived the Champions League group stage and impressed nationally and internationally with very good football.
The “nail men” ‘s greatest bargaining chip is their compact defense. Nine goals conceded in 13 games are by far the best value of all first division clubs. As a result, it may well be an option between Augsburg and RB Leipzig to keep an eye on the odds of a “to zero” victory – it would be the eighth across all competitions this season.
The only thing that speaks against this is the tense personnel situation, which gives the trainer little chance of starting the rotary press. Konaté, Klostermann, Laimer, Henrichs, Kluivert, Hwang and Nkunku all threaten to be canceled on Tuesday. Nevertheless, the upstart has enough quality to achieve a relatively safe victory, possibly with a difference of two goals. We consider another weak performance like the last one in the 0-0 draw against Cologne to be very unlikely for a second time in a row.
