Thorup: “Need to continue to improve”
Away in Frankfurt this weekend
First Team
06.12.2024, 13:30
FC Augsburg take on Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday afternoon (15:30 CET). While the Eagles were somewhat surprisingly eliminated from the DFB-Pokal in midweek, FCA are looking to end the week on a high with another win.
Head coach Jess Thorup’s side are preparing for their third game in seven days, having beaten Bochum 1-0 last weekend before advancing to the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal after a dramatic 5-4 win on penalties against Karlsruher SC (1-1 a.e.t.). Now, they will come up against Eintracht, who are currently in second place. “We’ve achieved our goal of reaching the next round of the cup. It was a hard fight over the course of 120 minutes, but we always believed in ourselves,” said Thorup, who also praised the way in which his team came back after trailing.
Despite their current strong form, Thorup still sees potential for improvement within his side. FCA have lost just one of their last seven games, winning three times and drawing against both Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim. However, he knows that they will have to be even better against the Eagles. “If we want to pick up points in Frankfurt, then we need to continue to improve,” said the Dane. “Frankfurt are enjoying a strong campaign and are a top team. Although Omar Marmoush is the one being spoken about the most, they are strong across the pitch,” he explained.
Their plan for the upcoming game is clear: “Our aim is to take something from this game, which will require our best performance,” Thorup said, adding that it will be important to find the right balance. “We will need to be brave in attack, but also can’t forget to defend and remain compact. That will be the key to taking something from this game.”
Pedersen undergoes successful surgery, Dahmen carrying a knock
Mads Pedersen underwent a successful operation on his groin on Thursday and will now begin working on his comeback. Robert Gumny, Fredrik Jensen and Dimitris Giannoulis are all making good progress, but it will be tight to see whether any of them will be fit to face Frankfurt. Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen is dealing with a shoulder problem that will likely cause him to be sidelined for several weeks. Daniel Klein will likely come into the squad to replace him this weekend.
