Augsburg vs Bournemouth – News and Probable Lineups

Bournemouth is set to continue their pre-season preparations with a matchup against Augsburg in Austria on Thursday.

The Cherries are gearing up for their Premier League opener against Manchester City on August 23, while Augsburg aims to prepare for their DFB-Pokal fixture against Energie Cottbus on August 22.

Match overview

Manuel Baum is currently in his second term as head coach of Augsburg after originally stepping in on an interim basis in December.

Baum, who rejoined Augsburg as the club’s director of development last summer, had a record of nine wins, six draws, and seven losses in 22 matches, leading the Fuggerstädter to a ninth-place finish.

The 46-year-old now faces the challenging task of improving upon Augsburg’s best league position since the 2015-16 season.

Though several players have departed, Augsburg has strengthened its squad with seven new signings, including Michael Gregoritsch and Rodrigo Ribeiro, both of whom have joined permanently after successful loan stints.

Baum’s team began their pre-season campaign with a 1-1 draw against third-division Saarbrucken.

The squad will face a significantly tougher challenge in Thursday’s friendly against Premier League opposition before concluding their preparations with fixtures against Schwaz, Sassuolo, and Leeds United.

Bournemouth is poised for a new momentum-filled campaign that will mark their debut in European competition.

The Cherries secured a sixth-place finish last season, thereby qualifying for the Europa League during Andoni Iraola’s final year at the helm.

Even though Iraola has moved on to a new challenge with Liverpool, Marco Rose now faces the difficult task of continuing Iraola’s good work, especially as he must balance the domestic season with the Europa League fixtures.

Rose will likely seek further reinforcements before the summer transfer window closes, with Alvaro Rodriguez being the only newcomer to the squad thus far.

Additionally, Bournemouth may prioritize keeping their key players amid interest in Alex Scott, Rayan, and Eli Junior Kroupi.

On the field, the Cherries aim to round off their training camp in Austria with a strong performance following their recent 4-1 victory against St. Pauli in the 2.Bundesliga.

Team News

Augsburg defender Chrislain is unlikely to participate amid speculation surrounding a potential transfer to Premier League club Crystal Palace.

The German side could field a back three consisting of Noahkai Banks, Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, and Calvin Brackelmann.

Rodrigo Ribeiro is expected to start as Augsburg’s central striker, although he may share playing time with Uchenna Ogundu.

For Bournemouth, Veljko Milosavljevic did not join the team for the training camp in Austria due to injury concerns.

Tyler Adams and Rayan have joined their teammates in Austria after missing the earlier part of the trip because of their World Cup commitments, but their availability for Thursday’s match remains uncertain.

Kroupi will be eager to secure some playing time after sitting out the previous match against St. Pauli due to fitness issues.

Augsburg probable starting XI:

Dahmen; Banks, Gouweleeuw, Brackelmann; Wolf, Massengo, Suso, Pedersen; Kade, Sakar; Ribeiro

Bournemouth probable starting XI:

Petrovic; Smith, Hill, Diakite, Truffert; Scott, Toth; Gannon-Doak, Kluivert, Adli; Evanilson

Bournemouth will encounter a more formidable challenge than their recent match against St. Pauli; however, on paper, they possess a stronger squad than their German rivals, and we anticipate that their added quality will lead them to victory.