FC Augsburg vs. 1. FC Köln preview: Squad news and predicted lineups | OneFootball

Friday night’s Bundesliga action sees Augsburg host Köln at the WWK Arena in what could be a pivotal fixture in the mid-table and relegation battle.

Augsburg arrive in strong form, unbeaten in their last seven (!) home league games and with several recent wins boosting confidence. They currently sit comfortably in the middle of the table (10th), thanks in part to a surge in results that has seen them collect more points than most sides in the second half of the season.

Köln, meanwhile, are looking to climb away from the danger zone; their away record this season has been patchy, and they have struggled for consistency on the road. If things don't go their way, Köln could find themselves in 14th positionand with only a one point gap to the relegation ranks after this matchday.

Both teams will see this as an opportunity to strengthen their positions in the table as the season enters its crucial phase.

Their last matchups

FC Augsburg head into the clash on the back of an impressive 3-2 away victory over VfL Wolfsburg. The win marked their fourth triumph in five Bundesliga outings and their second consecutive three-pointer following the narrow 1-0 success against 1. FC Heidenheim.

Augsburg’s recent run has underlined their growing confidence. Victories over FC Bayern Munich and FC St. Pauli further boosted belief, with only a 2-0 setback at 1. FSV Mainz 05 interrupting an otherwise strong spell. Momentum is clearly with the Fuggerstädter as they return to the WWK Arena.

1. FC Köln, meanwhile, shared the spoils in a 2–2 draw with TSG Hoffenheim last weekend - also an impressive result, given Hoffenheim's current form. The result ensured Köln remained unbeaten against the current third-placed side this season, having also beaten them 1–0 earlier in the campaign.

However, their away form continues to raise concerns. Since a valuable win in Sinsheim, Köln have managed to pick up points on the road only in Bremen (1–1) and in Heidenheim (2–2 after the winter restart). Defeats in Freiburg (1–2) and Stuttgart (1–3) have highlighted their inconsistency away from home - an issue they will be keen to address in Augsburg.

When the two sides met earlier this season at the RheinEnergieStadion, the points were shared in a competitive 1-1 draw. The encounter was notable not only for its intensity but also for the standout display of Köln youngster Saïd El Mala.

El Mala’s pace and directness caused Augsburg problems throughout the contest, underlining why he is considered one of Köln’s most exciting emerging talents. His performance injected energy into Köln’s attacking play and demonstrated the attacking threat they can pose when their young players are given space to operate.

With both sides having evolved since that meeting, Friday’s rematch promises another tightly contested battle - this time with even greater significance in the league table.

Feeding off of the goal of the season?

One person who enjoyed some eventful weeks early on in this calendar year is Köln striker Ragnar Ache. The 27-year-old has fought for a place in the starting elven over the course of this season and he has been trusted to lead the line for Kwasniok's side.

Last weekend, Ache scored what might have been the goal of this Bundesliga campaign, in Cristiano Ronaldo fashion, with an overhead kick - the Köln team played good and euphoric football after that, can they re-find their form from that moment to annoy opponents like Augsburg?

Squad news

FC Augsburg:Manuel Baum’s side are almost at full strength for the visit of Köln, with only a couple of long-term absentees affecting his selection. Defensive leaders Jeffrey Gouweleeuw and Chrislain Matsima will be unavailable due to injury, but otherwise the squad is in good shape.

1. FC Köln:

FC Köln travel in far more troubled circumstances, facing a raft of injury issues. Key players such as Jan Thielmann, Alessio Castro-Montes, Joel Schmied, Sebastian Sebulonsen and Linton Maina are all ruled out, with several others like Denis Huseinbasic listed as doubtful. The cluster of muscle injuries and a thin squad depth could force coach Lukas Kwasniok into rotation and makeshift solutions in defence and attack.

Predicted lineups

FC Augsburg (3-4-2-1):

Dahmen - Banks, Schlotterbeck, Zesiger - Fellhauer, Jakić, Massengo, Giannoulis - Kömür, Claude-Maurice - Ribeiro

1. FC Köln (3-4-2-1):

Schwäbe - Schmied, Van den Berg, Cenk - Kaminski, Martel, Krauß, Lund - Waldschmidt, El Mala - Ache