Augsburg – Freiburg : Preview & Prediction
All eyes will be on two players in particular during this opening day Bundesliga match after Augsburg and Freiburg swapped their main strikers during pre-season. New Augsburg player Ermedin Demirović has moved east after two seasons with the Brisgovia club, while Michael Gregoritsch, who made 100 appearances for Augsburg, will make his league debut for Freiburg in familiar surroundings after his most successful season (nine Bundesliga goals) in four years.
A seventh consecutive campaign in the bottom half of the table brought Markus Weinzierl’s second spell as Augsburg coach to an end, and this fixture will see the first-team debut of new 38-year-old coach Enrico Maaßen. Augsburg sporting director Stefan Reuter pointed to Weinzierl’s first spell at the club (in which he managed to finish fifth), and the mid-table results of former coach Manuel Baum, as evidence that “young, irreverent” coaches can bring success to the club.
On the other hand, Freiburg’s Christian Streich, who was appointed in 2011, remains by far the longest-serving coach in charge of a Bundesliga team, and the club was rewarded last season for his long-term trust by recording its best result (sixth) since 2012/13. Despite giving a warm welcome to some important signings such as Ritsu Doan, Daniel-Kofi Kyereh and Michael Gregoritsch, Streich calmly acknowledged that “they are not automatically stronger”. It is likely to take some time for his strongest XI to form, with Kyereh and Lucas Höler among the absentees up front.
The excitement of the Europa League awaits later in the season, but first Freiburg are looking to return home from Augsburg with league points for the fourth time in a row (G1, E2). Freiburg’s success last season was thanks to their good away form, being the fourth best team in the Bundesliga in that capacity (G7, E5, L5), including one of the best goal differentials (+9) inside the first 30 minutes, so a good start should come as no surprise.
Players to watch: Augsburg’s Florian Niederlechner made a good start to the 2021/22 season, scoring in three games in all competitions in mid-September. Freiburg striker Vincenzo Grifo signed a contract extension after scoring 13 goals (also in all competitions) last season – all but one were registered in wins.
Key stat: Augsburg were among the most undisciplined teams in the league last season, with one of the highest averages of yellow cards per game (2.18), while Freiburg’s average of one card per game was the lowest.
Augsburg – Freiburg : Betting Tips
Augsburg – Win Odds: 2.25
