Augsburg vs Bochum preview: Huge bottom-half clash

Augsburg

Despite falling 3-0 to Bayern München, Augsburg showcased a strong defensive effort for much of the match, holding the league leaders until the 62nd minute. Even after conceding the opener, Augsburg remained resolute, with a penalty and a piece of magic from Harry Kane putting the final nail in the coffin in added time.

Head coach Jess Thorup commended his squad's defensive discipline but acknowledged room for improvement in key moments. 

Statistically, Augsburg have struggled on both ends of the pitch this season. Their tally of 13 goals scored and 23 conceded ranks them as the Bundesliga's joint fifth-lowest scorers and third-leakiest defence.

However, before the loss to Bayern, die Fuggerstädter were enjoying a promising run of form, earning two wins and two draws from their previous four games. In fact, they have shown excellent resilience at the WWK Arena, boasting four wins, two draws, and just one defeat across their seven home fixtures this campaign.

Team News

Augsburg will be severely shorthanded in defence for this clash, with Keven Schlotterbeck suspended and Dimitrios Giannoulis, Reece Oxford, Robert Gumny, and Tim Breithaupt all sidelined due to injuries. To compensate, head coach Jess Thorup is likely to deploy a back three featuring Maximilian Bauer, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, and Chrislain Matsima. Wing-backs Marius Wolf and Mads Valentin Pedersen are expected to provide width and support on the flanks.

In attack, Augsburg will also be without Fredrik Jensen, leaving Thorup to likely opt for a forward pairing of Alexis Claude-Maurice and Phillip Tietz to lead the line.

VfL Bochum

Newly appointed Bochum head coach Dieter Hecking oversaw a promising start to his tenure with a hard-fought draw against league leaders Bayer Leverkusen on the 9th of November. However, his momentum stalled as Bochum suffered a defeat in their following outing against Stuttgart.

In that loss, Stuttgart dominated proceedings, creating three clear-cut chances, striking the woodwork twice, and unleashing 12 shots from inside the penalty area. Bochum, by contrast, managed just two major opportunities and four attempts from within the box, underlining their attacking struggles.

Bochum remain the only team in the Bundesliga without a victory this season, losing 10 of their 12 matches, including four of their last five. While their ten goals scored this term surpasses the output of two other teams, their defensive frailties are glaring. With 32 goals conceded, they hold the unenviable title of the league’s leakiest defence.

The situation is particularly dire on the road, where Bochum have endured a dismal campaign, losing all seven of their away matches so far. As they head into this weekend's clash, their travelling woes will be a major concern.

Team News

Bochum, on the other hand, arrive in relatively better shape but will still miss striker Myron Boadu, who remains unavailable until mid-December. Additionally, forward Aliou Balde is suspended, meaning Philipp Hofmann and Moritz Broschinski, who started against Stuttgart, are set to continue up front.

Defensively, goalkeeper Patrick Drewes will likely be shielded by a back three of Tim Oermann, Jakov Medic, and Maximilian Bernardo as Bochum aim to address their struggles on the road.