Reuter: “We want to once again show what FC Augsburg stand for”

Despite a turbulent season full of ups and downs, FC Augsburg achieved their season target of securing a ninth consecutive season of Bundesliga football.  With the 2018/19 season done and dusted, attentions start to turn to next season. Ahead of planning for next season, FCA sporting director Stefan Reuter reflects and summarises the 2018/19 campaign. A proud Stefan Reuter looks out onto the WWK ARENA from the president’s box. The pitch is currently being re-laid ahead of FC Augsburg’s return to Bundesliga action in August. For the eighth consecutive season, the Fuggerstädter avoided relegation from the top flight and can look forward to the ninth Bundesliga season in the club’s history. Although FCA were never in the relegation zone during the 2018/19 campaign, this season proved to be the club’s toughest since achieving promotion in 2011. Reuter reflects critically on how this season played out: “It was a season which fluctuated between both extremes. We started the season very well and played really well in several matches. We simply didn’t secure enough points in most of these matches. On many occasions, we delivered good performances but were unable to avoid defeat. We also went through a bad patch just before the winter break and started to fall sharply down the table.” One of the reasons for the bad patch may have been the injury list which has affected the squad for almost the entire season. “We suffered from too players who were not in a constant routine of training and matches. Consequently, it is naturally difficult to build consistency. We secured one brilliant result one week and then suffered a brutal, heavy defeat a week later.” The targets for next season “We want to once again show what FC Augsburg stands for.” To achieve this aim, FCA want to enter next season with high morale, speed and togetherness. The Fuggerstädter also want to secure a tenth season of Bundesliga football. “We hope that next season doesn’t have as many ups and downs as this season. We also hope to have a team which is fully behind the club and that may potentially lead to Bundesliga safety earlier next season.” Stefan Reuter believes that the FC Augsburg fans have played one of the most important roles in securing another season in the top flight. Despite the team’s varying success on the pitch, the fans have always been behind the Fuggerstädter. “Our fans support has been sublime. There were tricky phases this season where it was important that the fans were constantly still behind us. That was certainly a decisive factor in helping us secure Bundesliga survival.”