Borussia Dortmund face pressing machine Augsburg

Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg – Saturday, October 6, 14:30 BST/15:30 CEST – SIGNAL IDUNA Park, Dortmund, Germany

Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg will take place in the Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. (SASCHA SCHUERMANN/AFP/Getty Images)

Borussia Dortmund’s fantastic form continues. Die Schwarzgelben were fantastic midweek defeating AS Monaco 3-0 at home for their second win in the Champions League and are now first in Group A of the Champions League.

In the Bundesliga, Dortmund are also first after Bayern managed to drop four points during the Englische Woche. Hence, there is a sense now that Borussia Dortmund could seriously challenge Bayern for the title in Germany this season.

It is an enthusiasm that is somewhat downplayed by club officials and the coaching staff alike. “We still have to think game to game. It still depends on details. Please give us time,” were some of the things Favre said at the post-game conference against Monaco.

Augsburg have shown against Bayern München that they can be a difficult opponent. Die Fuggerstädter lead the league with the most sprints and have developed into a pressing machine under head coach Manuel Baum.

“Pressing is usually designed to prevent goals, but in Augsburg, we have discovered it as a tool to score goals. There is a specific pressing zone in which we want to win the ball. It isn’t magic,” Manuel Baum explained to the press. Whether it is Bayern, Gladbach or Freiburg opponents have a difficult time to play against Augsburg, which presses teams in every area of the pitch.

The result is eight points after six games and eighth place in the standings. Against Bayern, the pressing machine meant one point, and Augsburg will without a doubt also be a difficult opponent for Dortmund on Saturday. The high press, in particular, could cause difficulties for a young Dortmund side but the depth from the bench in Dortmund should ultimately be enough to break down Augsburg.

Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg – Players to look out for:

Marco Reus #11 – Borussia Dortmund

Marco Reus has been in excellent form. The 29-year-old attacking midfielder was voted the Futbolgrad Network man of the match against Monaco on Wednesday after scoring one goal and assisting on another. Reus has now scored four goals and four assists in six Bundesliga games as well as one goal and one assist in two Champions League games.

Dortmund’s forward Marco Reus celebrates after he scored the team’s fourth goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match Borussia Dortmund v RB Leipzig in Dortmund, western Germany, on August 26, 2018. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP)

Alfred Finnbogason #27 – FC Augsburg

Alfred Finnbogason is Augsburg’s key player. The Icelandic striker, however, missed the first five games of the season patella problems and made his season debut on matchday 6 against Freiburg. Scoring three goals in die Fuggerstädter’s 4-1 triumph Finnbogason underlined his importance for Augsburg.

Alfred Finnbogason will be Augsburg’s key player (Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg – Match Stats

• 12 different players have scored for Borussia Dortmund – the most in the Bundesliga.
• Augsburg are second in the league with nine different scorers.
• Lucien Favre has won the first three home games with Borussia Dortmund and with a win on Saturday could equalise Ottmar Hitzfeld’s start record, the former BVB bench boss won the first four games in charge of die Schwarzgelben.

Futbolgrad Network Prediction: Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg – 2-0

Borussia Dortmund vs Augsburg – Lineups

Borussia Dortmund:

Formation: 4-2-3-1

Bürki – Piszczek, Akanji, Zagadou, Diallo – Witsel, Delaney – Sancho, Reus, Bruun Larsen – Paco Alcacer

Head Coach: Lucien Favre

FC Augsburg:

Formation: 5-4-1-1

Luthe – Gouweleeuw, Khedira, Hinteregger – Schmid, Max – Bayer – Hahn, Gregortisch, Caiuby – Finnbogason

Head Coach: Manuel Baum

Manuel Veth is the owner and Editor in Chief of the Futbolgrad Network. He also works as a freelance journalist and among others works for the Bundesliga and Pro Soccer USA. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in History from King’s College London, and his thesis is titled: “Selling the People’s Game: Football’s transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States,” which is available HERE. Originally from Munich, Manuel has lived in Amsterdam, Kyiv, Moscow, Tbilisi, London, and currently is located in Victoria BC, Canada.  Follow Manuel on Twitter @ManuelVeth.