On Sunday, Augsburg briefly became the stage for Jürgen Klopp's home debut as Germany head coach. The national team arrived after a bus journey from Herzogenaurach to play Greece in the sold-out WWK ARENA that evening. The DFB entourage's arrival coincided with the Fuggerstadt Classic, a classic car festival on the main square, forcing the squad to use a side entrance to reach the team hotel 'Maximilian`s'.
Short Stay Amid Festival Chaos
About 100 fans gathered despite the commotion to see stars like captain Joshua Kimmich, Florian Wirtz and Serge Gnabry. Sporting director Rudi Völler took time for autographs. The DFB's stay in the city was intentionally short. After lunch and an activation session at the hotel, the team travelled to the stadium. A planned public walk was cancelled due to the crowded city centre. After the match, the squad immediately returned to the Adidas base in Herzogenaurach to continue preparations for the next international.
Klopp Welcomes Return of Standing Terraces
Jürgen Klopp was particularly pleased about the return of standing terraces at the WWK ARENA ahead of the match. He said the atmosphere in the stadium has a dramatic effect on performance. When the right people are standing, it's outstanding and the influence is great. The team is aware that they have to deliver first. But he was very happy that standing terraces are back. The national coach also shared a personal connection, mentioning that a cousin of his runs a pharmacy in Augsburg.
FC Augsburg as Proud Hosts
FC Augsburg acted as proud hosts of the international event. Before the match, DFB president Bernd Neuendorf and his Greek counterpart Chrysostomos Ghagkatsis, along with other dignitaries, signed the city's Golden Book. Managing director Michael Ströll and president Markus Krapf presented the Greek guests with a jersey and an engraved whiskey carafe with glasses as gifts. For FCA, the fixture during the international break fitted well into the calendar, even though the organisational effort for club staff was significant.
While the national team moves on, FC Augsburg is fully refocusing on the Bundesliga. Jess Thorup's side sits in a strong position after four matchdays. The next and highly demanding home game is when Bayern Munich visit the WWK ARENA. Recent encounters with the record champions can be tracked in the standings. The complete schedule for this and all other fixtures is available on the fixtures page.
Background and full detail: Bild Sport
