FC Augsburg kicks off the second half of the Bundesliga season with a home match against Borussia Dortmund. The game on January 18th at the WWK Arena is crucial for manager Jess Thorup and his team to break out of a poor run of form.
The Fuggerstädter currently sit in 14th place with 16 points. This gives them a four-point cushion above the relegation playoff spot and a seven-point gap to the automatic relegation places. Their last match was on December 21st, 2025, a 1-0 defeat to VfB Stuttgart. They have been waiting for a win since November 30th and a 1-0 victory over 1. FC Köln. This recent form contrasts with their final standing in the completed 2025 season, where the club finished ninth with 43 points. The detailed record of 12 wins, 7 draws, and 15 losses, with 45 goals for and 61 against, can be found on our stats page.
How can Augsburg end their goal drought?
Manager Jess Thorup has pinpointed the issue. "We have to be more clinical in front of goal, that has been our problem in recent weeks," said the Dane. Top scorer Ermedin Demirović has found the net seven times. He is followed by Phillip Tietz (5 goals) and Sven Michel (3 goals). From midfield, Fredrik Jensen and Elvis Rexhbecaj have contributed two goals each, with Arne Engels adding one. In defense, Mads Pedersen and Patric Pfeiffer have scored once each. Notably, forward Ruben Vargas has not scored in the league this season, despite netting against Dortmund in the German Cup on October 31st.
The attack needs to become more efficient to get a result against strong opposition. Edin Terzić's side occupies fourth place before the matchday with 30 points, sitting just one point behind VfB Stuttgart in third. Terzić criticized his team's finishing after their last outing: "We created enough chances to win the game in Mainz but our finishing was not good enough."
What is the match's significance for the table?
For Augsburg, it's about increasing the distance to the drop zone and gathering early momentum in the Rückrunde. A win against a top contender would send a strong message. The situation is not acutely dangerous with a seven-point buffer to 16th place, but it's not comfortable either. A look at last season's final standings shows the club met its objectives with a ninth-place finish, even though they ended up 46 points behind champions Bayern Munich.
The next fixture after the Dortmund match is already on the horizon. On August 30th, Augsburg host FC Schalke 04, as listed in our fixtures. Until then, full focus is on the Bundesliga restart. The team must use the long break to come back fresh and with renewed determination. The reporting for this match is from www.reutersconnect.com.
What awaits Augsburg in the second half of the season?
Jess Thorup's squad has proven it can score goals, with contributions spread across the team. The biggest challenge remains consistency. After a strong finish to the 2025 season with a recent form of LWWDW, this momentum must be carried into the new calendar year. The defense, which conceded 61 goals last season, needs to become more solid, while the attack must convert chances better. The coming weeks will show if FC Augsburg has learned the lessons from the first half of the season and can establish itself in the safety of mid-table.
