Augsburg v Bayern Munich: Schweinsteiger keen for more starts

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is hoping to make another step in his recovery from a knee injury at Augsburg on Saturday.

Schweinsteiger – appointed Germany captain after the international retirement of club team-mate Philipp Lahm – made his first start since the victorious World Cup final on Wednesday as Bayern cruised past CSKA Moscow 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League.

The midfielder is working towards full fitness and acknowledges he is still a bit off the pace.

But more starts should do the trick for Schweinsteiger and a run-out against red-hot Bundesliga rivals Augsburg is just what the 30-year-old is after.

“It was great [to return] in front of the home fans,” Schweinsteiger said after the Champions League success.

“When the team are playing well that obviously makes things easier for me.

“It wasn’t easy being out injured, so I’m just happy to be back in the fold.

“I can tell I’m still lacking a few per cent but that will come with match practice.

“We’ll always play good football at the highest level because we have so much quality in our team, and I’m sure we’ll improve on the few mistakes we’re making currently too.”

Bayern can ill-afford errors against an Augsburg side that have defied the critics to surge to third in the table.

And Markus Weinzierl’s men famously ended Bayern’s 53-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga earlier this year, winning 1-0 thanks to Sascha Molders’ first-half strike in April.

Pep Guardiola has led Bayern to an outstanding start to the season in response, though, with 11 wins from 14 matches helping them build a seven-point lead at the top.

They have scored 33 goals – five more than any other side in the Bundesliga – and conceded a mere three, making it a tough ask for Augsburg, who, in their fourth season in Germany’s top tier, are in the highest position of their 107-year history.

But the hosts will be buoyed by a four-match winning run, and they have triumphed in five of their six home games this season.

Augsburg – who are yet to register a draw in 14 games this term – have defender Paul Verhaegh as their leading scorer with five.

Without a prolific striker, midfielder Tobias Werner has chipped in with four goals and Augsburg’s relatively even spread of contributors makes them tricky to stop.

Guardiola has no new injury worries, with the likes of Lahm (ankle), David Alaba, Thiago Alcantara and Javi Martinez (all knee) all sidelined.

And despite Bayern’s loss to Augsburg last term, they do have a good record against their Bavarian neighbours – having won the other seven clashes between the two sides.