Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the Bundesliga match.
Both Wolfsburg and Augsburg recorded victories against Borussia Dortmund over the past week, arriving at their upcoming clash in high spirits. However, facing the German football giants drained both teams considerably: Wolfsburg managed to overcome Borussia Dortmund only in extra time in the DFB-Pokal (1:0 after extra time).
Wolfsburg
Wolfsburg have only scored once in the last 210 minutes of play. Their visit to Hamburg to face St. Pauli (0:0) lacked any dangerous opportunities, with them generating slightly more xG (1.10 vs 0.83), despite having fewer shots on target (4-5). It's likely that Wolfsburg will field a mixed lineup on Saturday as the first team needs rest after their extended cup match.
Augsburg
Unlike Wolfsburg, who had to grind out their win over Borussia Dortmund, Augsburg simply got lucky to defeat them (2:1 with 0.55 xG over 90 minutes). Without the injured Rubén Vargas, the Bavarians have lost a key option in attack; the Swiss player's dribbling was essential for breaking down opposing defences on counterattacks. Over eight matches, Augsburg have created 11.63 xG, with only five teams in the league performing worse.
Wolfsburg vs Augsburg Prediction
Despite having no European competitions on their schedules, both Wolfsburg and Augsburg are exhausted, lacking key injured players. The head-to-head encounter is likely to be played at a slow pace with minimal chances.
