July: Pre-season sees FCA travel to South Africa
2024 Year in Review, part 7
First Team
31.12.2024, 09:07
Another year is coming to an end: 12 eventful months of both highs and lows, along with plenty of memorable moments for FC Augsburg. It's time to once more reflect on the past 365 days. In part seven of FCA's Year in Review, we look back on July
International duty: Ruben Vargas was named Man of the Match after contributing a goal and an assist to Switzerland’s 2-0 with over defending champions Italy in the round of 16 of the EUROs. He was also named in the starting line-up for their quarter-final clash against England, helping to initiate several good chances for the Swiss. The Nati’s EURO campaign came to an end with a narrow defeat on penalties against the eventual finalists (1-1 a.e.t., 5-3 on pens.).
Pre-season: Following the usual round of pre-season performance tests, head coach Jess Thorup’s side took to the pitch for the first time. Countless fans turned up to watch the club’s first public training session at the WWK ARENA.
Transfer news: Sven Michel did not take part in the start of pre-season with FCA, having instead completed a move to SC Paderborn. Dion Beljo put pen to paper on a season-long loan deal to Austrian outfit SK Rapid Vienna, while David Čolina was once again loaned to Vejle BK.
FCA secured the services of forward Yusuf Kabadayi, who had most recently been loaned to Schalke 04 by his parent club, FC Bayern München. The club also brought in striker Steve Mounié on a free transfer from Ligue 1’s Stade Brest. Greece international Dimitris Giannoulis also moved to Augsburg on a free transfer from Championship side Norwich City.
The club also signed academy products Noahkai Banks and Mahmut Kücüksahin to professional contracts. In keeping with the club’s strategy of promoting and developing young talents with the aim of integrating them into the first team, FCA signed Felix Meiser to a long-term contract. The 17-year-old first joined the club’s U13s, and has been making his way through the ranks of FCA’s youth sides since then.
FCA also undertook further changes to their coaching set-up. Following assistant coach Jonas Scheuermann’s move to Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion, Jacob Friis and Lars Knudsen were brought in to work under Jess Thorup. The club also secured the services of veteran goalkeeping coach Marco Langner.
Off the pitch: July marked the official opening of the FCA pop-up shop in the City-Galerie, at which the club also unveiled their new home shirt for the 2024/25 season. Using the motto “The splendour of the renaissance,” the kit is an homage to this important era of Augsburg’s history and combines historical elements with a fashionable design.
Training camp: For the first time in club history, the Függestädter hosted their pre-season training camp outside of Europe. The team, along with an official club delegation, travelled to South Africa from 18th to 28th July.
Jess Thorup’s side trained in White River, in the province of Mpumalanga. The tour also included two games against Young Africans SC and hosts TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium as part of the Mpumalanga Premier’s International Cup. Augsburg were also there as an official ambassador for the Bundesliga, hosting various events during the course of their stay.
While in South Africa, FCA also presented their new away shirt for the 2024/25 campaign, together with supplier Mizuno. The kit adopts the motto of ‘Feels like home,’ and aims to help Jess Thorup’s side replicate their home form away from the WWK ARENA in the new season.
