Augsburg relies on acoustic prep for Cottbus clash FC Augsburg has taken an unusual approach to preparing for their DFB Cup opener against FC Energie Cottbus. Trainer Manuel Baum played Cottbus fan chants over a giant speaker on the training pitch to acclimate his players to the noise levels at Energie-Stadion. «We trained really loud so everyone knows what to expect», said Baum. League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 9th in Bundesliga, 43 pts, 12W-7D-15L from 34 games, recent form LWWDW. ## Why the unusual method? Baum revealed that his players were initially surprised when the fan chants suddenly blared across the pitch. «Some laughed at first, but it helps us be better prepared», the coach explained. The idea came from goalkeeping coach Michael Weirich, nicknamed «Hämmer». Baum emphasized that atmosphere should never be overlooked in preparation. ## What’s next? Augsburg faces the newly promoted Cottbus on Saturday (1:00 PM) in the DFB Cup. While Augsburg has yet to play a competitive match this season, Energie has already recorded a 3-1 win over Hannover and a 0-3 loss to Bielefeld. Baum even had his team practice penalty shootouts to prepare for every scenario.