The international break is over and matchday 8 of the Bundesliga is on our doorsteps: on Saturday 02.10.22 FC Augsburg visit FC Schalke 04. Head coach Enrico Maaßen expects a very fiery atmosphere in Gelsenkirchen.

“The game against Schalke will be loud and uncomfortable. Both teams play very direct football,” said Maaßen, who managed Schalke’s rivals, Borussia Dortmund’s second team, from 2020-2022. The 38-year-old is happy that all international players have returned to Augsburg injury-free. Apart from one or two minor question marks, the FCA head coach can draw on everyone in the squad. Maaßen has prepared his players vigorously ahead of this weekend’s clash.

Last match, Augsburg enjoyed a surprising 1-0 win over Bayern Munich, but it is now time to reel in that excitement. “We can’t retreat an inch and we have to remain greedy for more” was Maaßen’s battle cry. A third consecutive league win beckons for FCA who currently lie eleventh in the table with nine points – Schalke have three fewer points and sit fourteenth. 

Match experience gained from Lustenau game

The Red-Green and Whites used the international break to get some useful game time. At the Rosenaustadion, FCA beat Austrian first division side SC Austria Lustenau 5-2 with Mergim Berisha bagging four of them. “His overall game is really good, all he has to do now is stay grounded and keep working hard,” Maaßen said of his striker. Sunday will see a striker’s clash with Simon Terodde, who according to Maaßen is also a “pivotal player” for Schalke’s style of play.

The last competitive game between the two sides took place in April 2021 with the Royal Blues coming out on top thanks to Suat Serdar’s goal. Despite that, Schalke had to accept relegation into the second division, but that was corrected immediately the following season. An exciting and eventful game is on the cards – even more so because a significant number of Augsburg fans are expected to travel to Schalke. 

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