Hoffenheim vs Augsburg

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FC Augsburg aims to prolong their impressive streak of performances in the Bundesliga as they head to Sinsheim to clash with TSG Hoffenheim at the PreZero Arena on Sunday afternoon.

Given the UEFA rankings and DFB Pokal outcomes, securing the seventh spot in the Bundesliga could potentially secure a place in the Europa Conference League, heightening the significance of this match for both squads.

TSG Hoffenheim's position in the league standings has slipped to ninth in recent weeks, despite their overall progress this season. They currently sit three spots higher than their last term finish, and are merely three points shy of their previous 36-point total.

Die Kraichgauer appeared poised to be the first team to defeat the formidable Bayer Leverkusen last weekend. Maximilian Beier provided them with the lead in the opening half. However, despite Oliver Baumann's remarkable double-save heroics in the second half, Xabi Alonso's squad once again showcased their resilience by equalizing in the 88th minute before Patrik Schick secured the winning goal in stoppage time.

This outcome marked Pellegrino Matarazzo's team's third consecutive league loss, following a 3-1 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt and a 3-0 loss at home against Stuttgart. It signifies their lengthiest losing streak in the top flight since experiencing seven consecutive losses between January and March 2023.

In the meantime, regardless of subsequent outcomes this season, Augsburg can take pride in the progress they've achieved this term, considering they haven't finished higher than 12th place in the past eight consecutive seasons.

After a 1-1 draw against FC Koln last week, Fuggerstadter ascended back to seventh position in the league table, now boasting 36 points after 27 matches, merely five points adrift of Eintracht Frankfurt in sixth. They still nurture hopes of returning to European football for the first time since 2015-16.

In the encounter with Koln, Arne Maier provided his team with the lead within the initial 20 minutes of the first half. However, Davie Selke's 33rd-minute goal equalized the score, and neither team managed to secure the crucial go-ahead goal in the subsequent period.

While this outcome interrupted a four-game winning streak, it extended Jess Thorup's team's unbeaten run to five matches in the top flight. Since gameweek 23, only champions-elect Bayer Leverkusen have accumulated more points than Augsburg.

Moreover, within their ongoing unbeaten streak, FCA secured consecutive away victories for the first time this season, triumphing over Wolfsburg and Darmstadt. Achieving a third consecutive win on the road would match the club's record, last accomplished in 2015.

Hoffenheim has been extremely poor at home this season, managing just three wins, four draws, and six losses for a total of 13 points, which is the fourth-worst record in the division and their second-worst return in the top flight after 13 games at the PreZero Arena. This is in stark contrast to the 20 points they have earned on the road.

Throughout the years, the home team has been the stronger team in this battle, defeating Augsburg 1-0 in the prior meeting and drew 1-1 in the rematch. However, they have lost the past two meetings.

Hoffenheim will continue to be without the contribution of right-back John Brooks, who is completing the final match of his three-game suspension after receiving a straight red card against Frankfurt last month.

Marco John and Mergim Berisha, who have been sidelined with cruciate ligament injuries for an extended period, remain unavailable, along with Max Moerstedt, who has been absent from the last two matches due to an injury and is uncertain for this upcoming game.

In the previous match against Leverkusen, Maximilian Beier scored his 13th goal of the season and is expected to maintain his position in the attacking lineup alongside Dutch international Wout Weghorst.

Thorup's team's achievements are particularly commendable given the significant number of injuries they have faced recently. The latest addition to their list of injured players is Elvis Rexhbecaj, who sustained a fractured metatarsal in his right foot during Augsburg's 1-1 draw with FC Koln, ruling him out for the rest of the season.

Rexhbecaj will join Kristijan Jakic, Fredrik Jensen, Kevin Mbabu, Robert Gumny, Patric Pfeiffer, and Reece Oxford on the sidelines, while Niklas Dorsch is still not fully fit to return to action.

Rexhbecaj's absence is likely to prompt Thorup to contemplate a change in formation, possibly resulting in Ermedin Demirovic returning to the starting lineup to partner Phillip Tietz upfront.