Augsburg vs Stuttgart

WWK Arena forms the backdrop for a high-stakes Bundesliga relegation six-pointer between Augsburg and Stuttgart.

Despite beginning this round five points above the red zone, this fixture has all the makings of a ‘relegation six-pointer’ as any failed attempt to grab points could draw Augsburg back into the dreaded battle for survival. Since ousting Werder Bremen 2-1 in early March, the hosts have gone winless in five straight league matches (D2, L3), conceding 2+ goals on four occasions at an average of 2.8 per game. On a more positive note, before succumbing to a woeful 3-1 defeat to Cologne in their most recent Bundesliga outing at the WWK Arena, the ‘Fuggerstädter’ had gone unbeaten in their five previous home league fixtures in 2023 (W4, D1), with three of those four victories yielding a narrow 1-0 scoreline.

Meanwhile, Stuttgart’s dream of extending their top-flight status received a huge boost as they fought back twice to hold title-bidding Borussia Dortmund to a goal-glutted 3-3 home draw last weekend, stretching their unbeaten Bundesliga run to two games (W1, D1). Moreover, after failing to find the net in consecutive top-flight defeats on either side of the international break, ‘Die Schwaben’ have netted precisely three goals in their last two Bundesliga fixtures. Sebastian Hoeneß’s side can draw further confidence from going from four straight away games without winning (D1, L3) to back-to-back victories, both of which came via a single-goal margin. Additionally, since their last Bundesliga promotion in 2020, the visitors have racked up four wins in their five top-flight H2Hs against Augsburg (L1).