Borussia Dortmund will be hoping to maintain their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table when they take on FC Augsburg in the final game before the international break.
Lucien Favre’s men have yet to taste defeat this season and go into this weekend’s game on the back of three straight wins. The free scoring Black and Yellows will be aiming to continue their great run of form against the in-form FC Augsburg. Manuel Baum’s men lie eighth in the league table, having earned a credible draw away to Bayern and a 4-1 win against Freiburg in their last two games. So Borussia Dortmund will have to be at their very best if they are to get the three points on Saturday.
Dortmund will be without the injured Christian Pulisic, Marcel Schmelzer, Omer Toprak and Shinji Kagawa on Saturday, but Mario Gotze could return to the bench after missing the last few games with illness. So let us take a look at how Borussia Dortmund could line up for this weekend’s Bundesliga game against FC Augsburg.
Goalkeeper: Roman Burki
Burki was on top form once again on Wednesday as he made several crucial save to help Borussia Dortmund beat AS Monaco. The Swiss goalkeeper has looked unbeatable at times this season and he will be hoping to keep another clean sheet against Augsburg this weekend.
Defense: Achraf Hakimi, Manuel Akanji, Dan Axel Zagadou, Abdou Diallo
Lukasz Piszczek has looked off the pace whenever he has played this season and Achraf Hakimi should regain his spot at right back this weekend. The Moroccan international is bigger threat going forward, and while he has looked defensively shaky at times, he is definitely the better all round option and should get the nod for the game against Augsburg.
With Marcel Schmelzer out and Raphael Guerreiro still not ready to start, Abdou Diallo will once again be used as the make shift left back. The Frenchman hasn’t always looked comfortable at left back, but he has still done a decent job.
With Diallo playing at left back, Manuel Akanji and Dan Axel Zagadou will once again start in the heart of the defense. The duo have formed a dominant partnership in the last two games. Akanji has developed into a real leader for Borussia Dortmund, while Zagadou has shown great signs of maturity this season. He has impressed in the last three games, showing great composure in tough situations.
Midfield: Axel Witsel and Thomas Delaney
Axel Witsel has been Borussia Dortmund’s standout performer so far this season. The Belgian international has consistently dominated games from the middle of the park and is quickly becoming a leader in the team. He makes the team tick and his presence helps those around him play their natural game. And unless Favre decides to rest him for this weekend, Witsel will once again be one of the first names on Borussia Dortmund’s teamsheet.
Who will partner Witsel in midfield is the big question. Thomas Delaney has been his most used midfield partner so far, but the Dane hasn’t had a similar impact to Witsel. Julian Weigl impressed during his 20 minute cameo on Wednesday and Favre could give him a chance to start against Augsburg. While Mahmoud Dahoud always seems to be in and out of the side and could also feature from the start. The safest bet is still Delaney, as Lucien Favre trusts him and he makes the team look more stable defensively, even though he is not as effective going forward.
Forwards: Jadon Sancho, Marco Reus, Jacob Bruun Larsen and Paco Alcacer
Jadon Sancho continued his stunning run of form against Monaco and he is now in line for his first Bundesliga start of the campaign. The 18 year old has enjoyed quite a week and will be hoping to end it with another good performance against Augsburg.
Marco Reus has also been on fire in recent weeks and already has six goals and six assists to his name this season. The Dortmund captain is enjoying his football and has found his form playing in the free role behind the striker. After a few injury plagued seasons, Marco Reus looks to be back to his best this season.
Jacob Bruun Larsen has scored three goals in his last three games and is set to return to the starting line up on Saturday. The Dane has been Dortmund’s surprise package this season and has impressed with his great link up play and constant energy. Bruun Larsen never stops running and has proved to be a much bigger threat than Marius Wolf, Maximilian Philipp and Christian Pulisic.
After making his full debut on Wednesday, Paco Alcacer is expected to lead the line for Dortmund once again this weekend. The Spaniard has made a stunning impact since joining Borussia Dortmund and has impressed with his all round play and lethal finishing ability. Alcacer already has four goals to his name this season and will be hoping to add to his tally against Augsburg.