Our next opponents: League leaders with strong mentality and great squad depth

Position

FC Augsburg could hardly have made a better start to the season. Their 3–0 victory in the season opener against Bundesliga returnees FC Schalke 04 was followed last Sunday by a 4–1 win at Eintracht Frankfurt. After the second matchday, FCA are therefore top of the table for the first time since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2011. The team seem to be picking up seamlessly where they left off in last season’s impressive Rückrunde, which saw them finish ninth in the Bundesliga – their best position since 2015.

Augsburg initially fell behind in Frankfurt, struggled considerably in the first half and had goalkeeper Finn Dahmen to thank for keeping his side in the game with several saves. Immediately after the break, the tide turned within 103 seconds: Arijon Ibrahimovic and Robin Fellhauer turned the match around, whilst Alexis Claude-Maurice and Fabian Rieder sealed the away win.

Head coach Manuel Baum was subsequently keen not to read too much into the team’s position at the top of the table. “That’s the beauty of football,” he said, referring to the turnaround in Frankfurt. “After the first half, nobody would have expected this final result. But the players believe in themselves, and you could see that after the break.” Goalkeeper Dahmen spoke of a special moment, but pointed out that it’s still early in the season: “We can, of course, put this into perspective. It’s only the second matchday, and we know it won’t automatically stay this way. But the start shows we worked well in the preseason. We want to keep this momentum going for as long as possible.”

First of all, they are hoping to build momentum at home to the Werkself at the WWK Arena. “We’d be well advised to take it one game at a time,” said defender Marius Wolf, who set out the game plan for the upcoming fixtures: “We want to be a tough nut to crack for every opponent.”

Personnel

Ahead of the home game against Bayer 04, the squad situation at FCA is relatively relaxed. Attacking midfielder Anton Kade may still be out. The 22-year-old, who was one of Augsburg’s best players in the opening match against the Royal Blues, had to be substituted in Frankfurt due to muscle problems. Against Eintracht, new signing Ibrahimovic took Kade’s place and scored the crucial equaliser on his debut for FCA. Augsburg have an option to buy the midfielder, who is currently on loan from Bayern Munich.

Midfielder Kristijan Jakic, who has been a regular for FCA for the past two and a half years, moved to PAOK Thessaloniki in Greece on loan in the middle of this week. Another high-profile departure is Keven Schlotterbeck. The centre-back left Augsburg after two years and signed a contract with English Championship side Southampton. Nevertheless, the current Augsburg squad is likely to be one of the strongest in recent years. The club management, led by FCA sporting director Benni Weber and managing director Michael Ströll, have put together a team that boasts a high standard of quality across all areas of the side. Most of the key players have stayed, whilst promising new signings have joined the ranks.

Captain and veteran Jeffrey Gouweleeuw is fit to play again following his recent illness. However, the centre-back only came off the bench in each of the first two matches. In the back three, the coach has recently relied on Noahkai Banks, Chrislain Matsima and new signing Calvin Brackelmann (SC Paderborn 07). For the full-back positions, Hennes Behrens (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim) and Young-woo Seol (Red Star Belgrade) are two further new signings with potential. Left-back Behrens impressed during the Rückrunde last term while on loan at FC Heidenheim, and Young-woo Seol, his counterpart on the right, was a regular for World Cup participants South Korea. Fellhauer and Wolf are often the first choice at FCA on the right flank.

In central midfield, tried-and-tested players such as Fabian Rieder, Yannik Keitel and Han-Noah Massengo provide stability, balance and a quality. A new addition is Sima Suso, signed from Fortuna Düsseldorf, who mostly played on the left wing for the side that were relegated from Bundesliga 2. Baum also has numerous options up front. Alongside experienced players such as Michael Gregoritsch and playmaker Alexis Claude-Maurice, talented youngsters Rodrigo Ribeiro, Ibrahimovic and Mert Kömür are pushing for a place. The latter two, like Anton Kade, are current Germany U21 internationals and are set to feature in Augsburg’s attacking midfield.

Problems

In Frankfurt, Augsburg struggled in the first half to break free from the opposition pressure and create any real danger themselves – their play lacked cohesion. They lacked pace, intensity and creativity. It was only thanks to goalkeeper Finn Dahmen that FCA were not further behind after 45 minutes. In terms of total passes (780), pass completion rate (77 per cent) and possession (43.3 per cent on average), the Bavarian Swabians have recorded below-average figures after two matchdays. And the fact that they have conceded just one goal in three competitive matches so far somewhat masks the reality that the defence has looked quite vulnerable – as evidenced by the expected goals against figure of 4.3.

Performers

Alongside newly promoted SV Elversberg, FC Augsburg boast the league’s best attack after two matchdays. Both teams have scored seven goals each, with the FCA goals coming from seven different scorers. The Red Green and Whites have already had 41 shots on goal across the first two matchdays. Only Leipzig (44) and Bayer 04 (42) have managed more shots so far. Augsburg are also performing well in terms of efficiency: with a conversion rate of 17 per cent, they sit third in the table. “Winning the ball, switching play quickly and being aggressive in challenges: these things set us apart,” said striker Gregoritsch. Two stats in particular highlight one of these qualities: with a 59 per cent success rate, Augsburg have the best tackle success rate of any team. And with 50 aerial duels won, FCA are currently top of the league in this respect too.

Head coach Baum brings a new – and perhaps even more important – asset into play: “We’ve got a sensational squad and, as a result, a superb bench. You can substitute half the outfield players. Whoever comes on is absolutely top-class.” It’s not just the three goals scored by substitutes in the three competitive matches so far that back up this statement. The substitutes have often brought decisive fresh impetus on the pitch. The team’s mental strength is also worth highlighting: in the calendar year 2026, Augsburg have turned defeat into victory in five Bundesliga fixtures – only Bayern Munich have bettered that (six times).