Thorup: “A good indication of where we’re at”
Away trip to Freiburg on matchday 7
First Team
17.10.2024, 15:07
FC Augsburg will travel to face SC Freiburg on Saturday (kick-off 15:30 CEST). Head coach Jess Thorup perceives the upcoming clash as a good indicator of his team’s current standing, and is looking forward to having players back fit and firing after international duty.
After winning 2-1 at home to Borussia Mönchengladbach, a break from Bundesliga action would not have been preferable to Jess Thorup, who celebrated one year at the helm of FCA during the week. Instead, ten of his players jetted off on international duty, while the remaining squad members defeated SSV Jahn Regensburg 1-0 in a friendly match.
In search of first points on the road
After defeats in both of their away matches to this point, FCA will be looking to pick up their first points in their third game on the road. “The game will serve as a good indication for me of where we’re at right now. We need to start performing just as well away as we do at home and pick up the three points if we can. That is the target,” said Thorup. However, the Augsburg coach is aware of the quality that the upcoming opponent possesses. “Freiburg are really strong, especially at home.”
The Danish coach does not purely put SC’s successful start to the season, achieving four wins in six games, down to the smooth coaching transition with Julian Schuster replacing Christian Streich, but also down to their squad. “They have a lot of talented individuals who also fit really well together as a team.”
Back in Augsburg after international duty
In terms of the FCA squad, all of the players who were on international duty have returned fit and firing and will be available again after relative success with their nations across the board. Among those is Samuel Essende, who will be eligible for the Freiburg clash after serving his two-match ban. Keven Schlotterbeck, on the other hand, is a doubt to face his former club after pulling his hamstring in the previous match against Borussia Mönchengladbach.
A potential replacement in that position is Chrislain Matsima, who impressed after coming on against Gladbach. As a result of calf muscle problems, Mads Pedersen is unlikely to be risked on Saturday. Ruben Vargas (ankle injury) and Daniel Klein (foot injury) remain absent. Meanwhile, Robert Gumny is nearing a return to the squad after an extended period on the sidelines due to a cruciate ligament rupture. “His latest test results were positive and he is now involved in large parts of team training again,” reports Thorup.
FCA will be backed by over 1,300 fans for their trip to Freiburg.
