We are heading into the final straight of the 2023 calendar year: Borussia Dortmund’s first team still have two games to play, and the first comes on Saturday at 15:30 as they travel to face FC Augsburg.

BVB have failed to win in their last two matches in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League, but coach Edin Terzic praised his team’s performance in both games. In the defeat against Leipzig, the Black and Yellows put up a good fight despite playing with ten men for much of the game and almost found an equaliser. In the draw against PSG, BVB secured top spot in Group F ahead of the French champions. “It is our clear mission that we will take a lot of good things not only from the match against Leipzig, but also from the match against Paris, and that we now want to incorporate them into the next two important games in the Bundesliga. We have shown what we are capable of,” said Terzic. “We want to top that performance level once again. If we succeed, we are very confident that we will pick up points in the coming games.”

In terms of personnel, BVB came out of the PSG game with question marks over three players: in addition to his calf issue, which forced him miss the match last week, Marcel Sabitzer is also struggling with a cold. Karim Adeyemi took a blow to his ankle, while Salih Özcan was hit on the hip. Terzic was unsure whether any of the three players would be fit to play. Mats Hummels was sent off against Leipzig, so the centre-back will have to sit out the match on Saturday. Niklas Süle could replace him in Augsburg, having already been deployed there against PSG, catching the eye with a spectacular last-ditch tackle, among other things.

Augsburg have stabilised 

Opponents Augsburg have been able to climb to ninth place in the table. At the beginning of October, Dortmund’s former U23s coach Enrico Maaßen was let go after FCA had slipped to 15th in the league. Jess Thorup took over as head coach and started with two wins (against Heidenheim and Wolfsburg). In their seven games since Thorup took the reins, Augsburg have won three and drawn three. Last weekend, the team lost to Werder Bremen. “They have stabilised and have good energy and intensity on the pitch, especially in the home games,” Terzic said. “But we have quality and have taken enough confidence from the past two games.”

There are six points up for grabs for BVB between now and the winter break, “and we will fight for all six points”. That starts in Augsburg, before the final home game of the season against Mainz 05 on Tuesday.
Christina Reinke

BVB TV by 1&1:The press conference before the match against Augsburg