Augsburg are set to host St Pauli at WWK Arena on Sunday in each side's third game of the 2024-25 Bundesliga season.
Both teams have had disappointing starts to their top-flight campaigns, with the home side in 15th place with one point, while the away side are last in 18th place with no points.
Match preview
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The hosts lost 4-0 last time out in the league against FC Heidenheim on September 1 despite having 64% possession and producing 15 shots, the same number as their opponents.
However, many of Augsburg's efforts were tame and only one was on target, while they conceded four big chances and faced eight shots on target themselves.
In their first game of the league season on August 24, Fuggerstadter drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen, a match in which both teams had 11 shots and created three big chances.
Manager Jess Thorup, who is embarking on his first season in charge of the club, will be concerned that his side are averaging the 17th fewest shots on target per match and have created the 14th least xG of any team in the division.
Thorup will also be aware that his side have failed to win their last seven Bundesliga matches, losing six and drawing one, conceding 20 goals in that period.
Augsburg have also drawn one and lost two of their last three home league games, but they did win three of the previous four top-flight fixtures at WWK Arena.
![Jess Thorup, coach FC Augsburg in the press conference before the match against Werder Bremen on August 22, 2024 [on August 22, 2024]](https://sm.imgix.net/24/34/jess-thorup.jpg?w=640&h=480&auto=compress,format&fit=clip "Jess Thorup, coach FC Augsburg in the press conference before the match against Werder Bremen on August 22, 2024 [on August 22, 2024]")
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The visitors lost 1-0 against Union Berlin last time out in the league on August 30, and despite having 60% possession they were only able to produce one shot on target.
In their first game of the league season on August 25, the visitors lost 2-0 against FC Heidenheim, and though they had 61% possession and created three big chances, St Pauli were somewhat frail defensively given they conceded twice from five shots.
St Pauli won the 2. Bundesliga in 2023-24 and were promoted to the top flight for the first time since the 2010-11 season.
Boss Alexander Blessin only took charge of the club in July, but they have won four of their last seven league games overall.
Stretching back to their last season in the Bundesliga, his side have lost 13 of their last 14 top-flight matches, though they will be looking to rectify this poor history on the weekend.
Blessin's side have a mixed record in their recent fixtures on the road, with his team having won five and lost five of their last 10 competitive away matches.
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Team News
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The hosts will be without defender Robert Gumny, who is not expected back until December due to a knee injury, as well as defender Reece Oxford due to illness.
Augsburg will also be unable to select goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, so Nediljko Labrovic is likely to start in goal behind centre-backs Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Keven Schlotterbeck.
As for the visitors, goalkeepers Soren Ahlers and Sascha Burchert are set to miss out, as is forward Simon Zoller.
Connor Metcalfe and Eric Smith are not scheduled to return until late September, while Andreas Albers is a doubt due to illness.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Labrovic; Wolf, Gouweleeuw, Schlotterbeck, Giannoulis; Rexhbecaj, Jakic, Maier; Vargas; Essende, Tietz
St Pauli possible starting lineup:
Vasilj; Wahl, Nemeth, Mets; Saliakas, Wagner, Irvine, Boukhalfa, Treu; Eggestein, Guilavogui
We say: Augsburg 1-1 St Pauli
Although the hosts should be favourites considering the visitors are newly promoted, they have struggled to win in recent league games.
It would not be surprising if neither side created many chances, and if both came away from Sunday's clash with a point.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Lewis Nolan
