Two of last season's Bundesliga strugglers meet at the WWK Arena when Augsburg host VfL Bochum on Saturday.
Both clubs have made an underwhelming start with a point apiece after two games, but they have had some challenging fixtures so far.
Match preview
Augsburg faced a tricky start coming up against Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayern Munich in their opening two games.
There will be feelings of enthusiasm mixed in with disappointment, as they showed some excellent signs, especially in attack, but came away with just one point.
The goal scored in their 3-1 loss at the Allianz Arena was only a consolation but they did create chances throughout.
An opening day 4-4 draw with Gladbach was exhilarating and illustrated their ability in attack but was ultimately heartbreaking.
Augsburg fought back from 2-0 and 3-1 down to lead 4-3, but Tomas Cvancara's 97th-minute penalty ultimately saw the spoils shared.
Defensive issues are glaring though, as they have conceded 15 goals in their last five league games.
Bochum did not enjoy much success on the road last season, winning just twice away from home, but one of the victories came here at the WWK Arena.
The two clubs have met five times in the past two years, and Bochum have come out on top on four occasions.
The most crucial of encounters was a relegation six-pointer which came with just three games to go last season.
Bochum went into the game in an automatic relegation spot but won 3-2 and remained unbeaten to survive against the odds.
Augsburg and Bochum ended up being the sides which finished in the two spots just above the drop zone, and a similar fate could await them this season.
Bochum looked a sure bet to go down after their humiliating 5-0 defeat to Stuttgart on the opening weekend, going down heavily to a side who only stayed up via the relegation playoff last season.
That thrashing meant Thomas Letsch's side went into their clash with Borussia Dortmund as huge underdogs, but they took advantage of BVB being out of sorts to claim a 1-1 draw.
Another result may be needed here though, because Bochum have a seriously daunting run of fixtures to come.
The next five Bundesliga games following this trip to Augsburg pits Bochum against four of last season's top seven, including Bayern Munich, as well as a tie with Gladbach.
- D
- L
- L
- D
- L
- L
- D
- L
- L
- D
Team News
Augsburg could welcome back Jeffrey Gouweleeuw from a toe injury and Nathanael Mbuku from illness after the pair missed out last weekend.
Elvis Rexhbecaj should feature against his former club where he spent the 2021-22 season on loan.
However, Masaya Okugawa and Raphael Framberger are both confirmed to be missing for the hosts here.
Bochum could be without as many as six players for this away encounter, with Moritz-Broni Kwarteng, Philipp Forster and Lys Mousset among those missing.
Christopher Antwi-Adjei could come in after only starting on the bench last weekend, and the Ghanaian scored in both meetings with Augsburg last season.
Bochum have signed Felix Passlack and Maximilian Wittek to add some dynamism at wing-back, and both have started the opening two games.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Dahmen; Engels, Bauer, Uduokhai, Pedersen; Maier, Rexhbecaj, Dorsch, Vargas; Michel, Demirovic
VfL Bochum possible starting lineup:
Riemann; Masovic, Ordets, Bernardo; Passlack, Stoger, Losilla, Bero, Wittek; Asano, Hofmann
We say: Augsburg 1-1 VfL Bochum
Very little separated the sides last season, and the same can be said so far this time around too with both on just one point.
Bochum have an excellent recent record against Augsburg, but there should not be much to split the sides.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
