Dortmund extended their unbeaten streak with a draw against Lille in the Champions League this week but that was hardly the result their fans were expecting. Before the rematch, they have to deal with a team that already beat them this season – Augsburg.
Niko Kovac is making progress in Dortmund but even this may not be enough to revive their season on time. BVB are three points behind the Top 6 and six behind the Top 4 after back-to-back wins in the Bundesliga. There are 10 rounds until the end of the season, which is enough time to make up this difference but it also depends on the performances of their rivals.
For now, they have to focus on Augsburg, who are one of the tougher teams to meet in the Bundesliga. Fuggerstadter are one of the hardest teams to beat because of their solid defence but they are also not very dangerous in attack. Four of their last five league games ended in draws, three of which with a base 0-0 scoreline. Only three teams have scored fewer goals than Augsburg in the Bundesliga, all of which are fighting for survival.
How the bookies view it: BVB to make it three in a row
It is hardly a surprise that the home team has a huge advantage in the odds. The bookmakers give them just 11/20 to win on Saturday. By contrast, Augsburg are available at 5/1 and the draw is priced at 33/10.
Recent head to head: Dortmund want revenge
Augsburg have had their moments in recent years, recording two wins against Dortmund. But BVB won the three points in most of their other meetings or a total of six times in the last 10 H2Hs. Most importantly right now, Augsburg won the first game of this campaign 2-1.
Players to watch: Guirassy can make the difference again
Serhou Guirassy remains Dortmund's top choice in Bundesliga games. His performance against Lille did not impress with anything, but in the domestic league, the striker does not stop scoring. He scored a total of five goals in the team's last two fixtures, which were also their first back-to-back wins this season. And in the first game against Augsburg this season, he gave the assist for Malen's goal.
Probable line-ups
Borussia Dortmund: Kobel, Ryerson, Can, Schlotterbeck, Bensebaini, Sabitzer, Gross, Adeyemi, Reyna, Gittens, Guirassy
Augsburg: Dahmen, Zesiger, Deger, Banks, Maier, Wolf, Onyeka, Jensen, Giannoulis, Claude-Maurice, Essende
Anything else catch the eye?
Unfortunately for Dortmund, the team has no room for errors at this point and Niko Kovac can't afford to play a weaker line-up. We expect the hosts to give it everything they've got and try to extend their winning streak in the Bundesliga ahead of the rematch with Lille.
Quite a few H2Hs in recent years ended with 3+ goals but we expect a different type of game. Augsburg are not known for their goal-scoring abilities and will resort to their usual defensive style. Four of their last five fixtures ended with less than 1.5 goals and they only scored in one. If all works out as planned, Borussia Dortmund should win 1-0 on Saturday.
This German Bundesliga match between Borussia Dortmund and Augsburg will be played on and kick off at 14:30. Check below for our tipsters best Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
