RB Leipzig vs. Augsburg preview: Rose’s side are pushing for top 4
Leipzig are trying to further stamp their place in the top four on Matchday 28 as they play host to Augsburg, who have been brought back into the relegation fight.
RB Leipzig
Leipzig snuck up into 4th place following an unconvincing away win to Hertha last weekend. They’ve now won two competitive games on the bounce after losing three in a row.
Focus is fully on a return to the Champions League, but the club must be looking in their rearview mirror with Leverkusen closing in hot. Leipzig should receive a huge boost of confidence on Saturday with Christopher Nkunku expected to receive some minutes of action.
Marco Rose said, "I have full confidence in the character and quality of my team. We want and have to build on the our consecutive wins tomorrow. We want to put ourselves in a good position for the season run-in and we're ready to do that."
Team News
Emil Forsberg and Yussuf Poulsen won’t play, while the status of Mohamed Simakan is up in the air. Peter Gulacsi and Xaver Schlager are injured, but Nkunku completed full squad training this week and will be limited to 25 minutes.
In other news, Konrad Laimer reportedly signed his deal with Bayern this week, although an official statement is still pending. Andre Silva is interested in a move out of the club and Leipzig were drawn away to Freiburg in the DFB-Pokal on May 2nd.
Augsburg
At 13th in the league and coming off a loss against table rivals Köln, Augsburg now have to admit that they’re truly in the relegation race. In captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw’s 200th appearance for the club, it doesn’t get any easier facing a deep Leipzig team.
The injury list is really starting to pile up for the Bavarians who will be without the offensive duo of Mërgim Berisha and Ermedin Demirovic. Following Saturday’s match, Augsburg still have to play Dortmund and Union, while also competing against several hungry teams at the bottom.
Enrico Maaßen admitted, “We need points. It's more convenient if you get them quickly. And yet it is important to retain sovereignty in this phase. Not looking left and right too much, but believing in your own strength.”
Team News
Tobias Strobl, Niklas Dorsch, Andre Hahn and Kelvin Yeboah are out with injuries. Berisha is doubtful, Demirovic has to serve the last game of his lengthy suspension, and Tomas Koubek will start ahead of the injured Rafal Gikiewicz in goal.