FC Augsburg didn’t have much time to recover from the DFB-Pokal penalty shoot out defeat to VfL Bochum (2-2 (5-4 on pens)) in midweek. A busy week comes to an end on Sunday as FCA host Stuttgart. Despite the result, head coach Marcus Weinzierl says there are positives to take from the performance.

Weinzierl says the team are still feeling the effects of the game on Wednesday, “but the performance has to give us confidence. We consistently improved over the 120 minutes. After going 2-0 down we came back strongly and were close to going 3-2 ahead. That’s what I want the team to be like – that they fight for every centimetre. I’m pleased with the performance; we have to continue like that.”

It took a penalty shoot out to split the two teams in the end. Despite the result, Weinzierl said he liked the way the team fought as a unit. “That’s the fundamental requirement and that’s how we should play on Sunday.”

Dorsch and Niederlechner set to return

Noah Sarenren Bazee (knee) and Iago (hand) are questionable for the game against Stuttgart after suffering injuries against Bochum. After recovering from illness, Niklas Dorsch will be available. Florian Niederlechner is also returning after a groin operation.

VfB Stuttgart’s cup campaign also ended ths week (2-0 defeat to Köln). “They’re missing a bit of individual quality because of the injuries of Sasa Kalajdzic and Silas Katompa Mvumpa,” said Weinzierl. Despite the injury problems, VfB are on a four-game unbeaten run (one win, three draws). “They have a lot of young, talented players with a lot of pace and are tough to defend against,” said the FCA head coach.

Weinzierl: “We know they’re going to ask a lot of us”

Augsburg (six points) can move to within one point of Stuttgart (ten) with a win on Sunday. “We know that they’re going to ask a lot of us,” says Weinzierl. “The team that invests the most and is more willing in the one-on-ones will win on Sunady.”

Weinzierl spent half a year in charge of Stuttgart in 2018/19, but the 46 year old says that history plays no part. The head coach looked back to the last game against VfB, a 2-1 loss in April in the first game after Weinzierl’s return. "We played well, but unfortunately lost. We want to deliver a similar performance on Sunday with a different result."
 

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