Baum: “A great deal of will and courage is required”
Away game in Mainz
First Team
05.02.2026, 15:37
Matchday 21 of the 2025/26 Bundesliga season is right around the corner, with FC Augsburg heading to Mainz on Saturday (15:30 CET). FCA will look to go into the game against the in-form sixteenth place side with the momentum they have gathered from their last two games.
“I’m really looking forward to the game in Mainz. Two in-form sides are set to go head-to-head,” said FCA head coach Manuel Baum. His side have built up some real momentum over the last two matchdays, having beaten FC Bayern München 2-1 away, before returning home to win by the same scoreline against FC St. Pauli. Mainz have also hit their stride in recent weeks, most recently with a statement 2-1 win in Leipzig. New head coach Urs Fischer’s side are a lot more solid at both ends of the pitch now, and have won 15 points from their last seven games, closing the gap in the relegation fight.
Baum expects a heated game: “It will be a battle with a lot of duels – a great deal of will and courage is required.” The return fixture saw FCA beaten 4-1 at home, so Baum called on his team to perform as a collective in this game and to be a “nasty opponent” who can “crash the party”. The game will take place during the Mainz Karneval celebrations, with the home team wearing a colourful Karneval kit during the game. Around 1,100 FCA fans are expected to support their side in Mainz.
Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, Chrislain Matsima and Dimitris Giannoulis are once again unavailable this weekend, while new signing Uchenna Ogundu will join up with the team for the first time next week. There is hope for a return to the squad for Kristijan Jakić. In addition, “one or two players” had some muscular complaints after the St. Pauli game.
