Holstein Kiel vs Augsburg preview: Rapp's side looking to end losing run | OneFootball

Holstein Kiel

Kiel know they will finish 2024 in the bottom two no matter the result of Saturday’s meeting with Augsburg. Despite that, they will be keen to close the five-point gap that separates them from the relegation playoff spot. However, that may be easier said than done, especially as Kiel have lost each of their last five matches since they beat Heidenheim on November 2. That victory was followed by defeats against Werder Bremen, Mainz, St. Pauli and RB Leipzig, before they were swept aside by Borussia Mönchengladbach last weekend.

Armin Gigović scored on the 30-minute mark to halve the deficit after Gladbach had established a two-goal lead. Unfortunately for Kiel, they were unable to build upon Gigović’s leveller, as Alassane Pléa netted a brace to wrap up a 4-1 win for Gladbach. As a result of that heavy defeat, Kiel have now conceded 37 goals in 14 league matches, leaving them with the worst defensive record in the division. They will hope a meeting against the Bundesliga’s fifth-lowest scorers offers them the chance to produce a strong defensive display.

Team News

The hosts unable to call upon Patrick Erras, Timo Becker, Colin Kleine-Bekel and Marvin Schulz.

Augsburg

Augsburg are experiencing a poor run of form after winning just one of their last six Bundesliga matches. They played out draws against Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim, before they fell to a heavy 3-0 defeat against Bayern Munich. The Fuggerstädter bounced back with a narrow 1-0 victory in their home meeting with basement side Bochum. However, they were unable to follow that up with another win in two tricky games against Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen. Jess Thorup’s side drew 2-2 with die Adler, before they fell to a 2-0 loss in their home clash with the Bundesliga champions.

As a result of their underwhelming form, the Fuggerstädter will head into the weekend in 13th position with six points separating them from the bottom three. They will hope to extend that gap on Saturday, as they look to end the year with a positive result. Unfortunately for Augsburg, they struggle to pick up points on the road, demonstrated by the fact they are winless in 10 away league matches (D2, L8). As a result, they head into the weekend with aspirations of claiming a  Bundesliga away victory for the first time since March 2023.

Team News

The visitors are without Mads Pedersen, Yusuf Kabadayi, Reece Oxford, Finn Dahmen and Masaya Okugawa. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw will serve a one-match ban for an accumulation of yellow cards.