Bayern Munich vs Augsburg: probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!
Robert Lewandowski is set to add to his 31 Bundesliga goals this season, but Ricardo Pepi is still looking for his first when Bayern Munich host Augsburg on Saturday (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST).
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Lewandowski was on target in November’s reverse game against Augsburg, although Die Fuggerstadter made headlines by winning his first Bavarian derby in over six years. The champions will look to avenge that 2-1 loss and restore confidence after their narrow 1-0 loss to Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals three days before the second leg at the Allianz Arena. Lewandowski tops the Bundesliga goalscoring charts and needs 11 more goals in the last six games to break his own single-season goalscoring record. Alphonso Davies will have to wait for his first Bundesliga start since mid-December after making his midweek return, with Julian Nagelsmann likely to give Omar Richards a run at left-back. Corentin Tolisso is out after suffering a hamstring injury at the end of last week’s 4-1 win at Freiburg which left Bayern nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table.
Augsburg gave their survival hopes a boost by beating Mainz 2-1 on Wednesday in a rearranged Matchday 26 game, putting them six points clear of the relegation places. Coach Markus Weinzierl praised the “passion and spirit” with which his team defended against the 05ers, and they will definitely need more of it at the Allianz. American teenager Pepi came off the bench midweek and offers Weinzierl an alternative option in attack. Mads Pedersen and Andre Hahn scored the goals in the reverse fixture and are set to start alongside Florian Niederlechner, although Ruben Vargas also claimed a starting spot with the winner against Mainz. With Carlos Gruezo suspended, Arne Maier and Niklas Dorsch will continue to hold the fort in midfield.
Watch: Augsburg stunned Bavarian rivals Bayern in the second leg
Match statistics
- Lewandowski scored 22 goals in 18 appearances for Augsburg and only managed to score in two of his 12 games against them as a Bayern player.
- Serge Gnabry is the highest scoring German national in the Bundesliga this season, with 11 goals.
- The loss in the reverse fixture was just Bayern’s third defeat in 21 Bundesliga games against Augsburg.
- Dorsch made his Bundesliga debut for Bayern in a 4-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in May 2018. It was his only competitive appearance for the record-breaking champions.
- Iago has two goals and four assists to show in his last eight appearances. The Brazilian scored Augsburg’s second goal against Bayern on Matchday 12.
- Augsburg is a candidate for a 12th consecutive season of Bundesliga football. They have never finished in the bottom three.
The probable compositions
Bavaria: Neuer (c) – Pavard, Upamecano, Süle, Richards – Kimmich, Goretzka – Gnabry, Müller, Sane – Lewandowski
Outside: Choupo-Moting (knee), Sarr (knee), Tolisso (hamstrings)
Doubtful: –
Coach: Julien Nagelsmann
Augsburg: Gikiewicz – Gumny, Gouweleeuw (c), Oxford, Iago – Caligiuri, Maier, Dorsch, Vargas – Hahn, Niederlechner
Outside: Gruezo (hanging), Pedersen (not included), Sarenren Bazee (knee), Strobl (knee), Uduokhai (thigh)
Doubtful: Winther (sick)
Coach: Markus Weinzierl
