Augsburg – Union Berlin : Preview & Prediction
Following their 2-1 home win over Werder Bremen at the beginning of March, Augsburg had an eight-point cushion over the Bundesliga relegation zone. A comfortable mid-table finish and perhaps even an improvement on their fourteenth place finish last season might have been expected, but after failing to win any of their seven league games since then (E4, P3), that gap to the bottom three has narrowed to just three points before this matchday.
Augsburg now have the unenviable task of welcoming a Union Berlin side who are fighting to get into the UEFA Champions League and certainly have the potential to bring them closer to the red zone. However, although they will enter this clash as the “underdogs”, it is worth noting that Augsburg have only lost one of their five home league games against teams starting this fixture seventh or higher (G2, E2).
Many of Union’s rivals for a UCL place picked up three points the previous matchday, while they only managed to pick up one, but that was against an inspired Bayer Leverkusen side on a 14-game unbeaten run (0-0). You could argue that it was another good point with all things considered, but they will be eager to add three to their tally here, as fifth-placed RB Leipzig are just two points behind them and Freiburg going into this matchday.
Interestingly, those two teams meet in the Bundesliga this weekend, opening up the possibility that Union could escape at least one of their rivals. However, being winless in their last five duels against their opponents (E2, P3) highlights how Augsburg have become a tough challenge for the Berlin-based side, a psychological barrier they must overcome to strengthen their push for a first UCL appearance.
Players to watch: Augsburg’s sturdy defender Jeffrey Gouweleeuw received one of his ten Bundesliga yellow cards this season in their previous clash with the visitors (2-2) – only one player has received more before the start of this match. He will be looking to dominate striker Sheraldo Becker, who scored Union’s first goal in that encounter, and scored their only goal in their last league appearance away from home.
Key stat: Augsburg’s home games have averaged 2.4 goals per game this season – only Union, have averaged fewer at home (2.3).
Augsburg – Union Berlin : Betting Tips
Union Berlin – Win Odds: 2.25
