Prediction: Schalke 04 vs Augsburg

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: William Hill

Schalke 04 are set to host Augsburg at their Veltins Arena in Genselkirchen in the early afternoon on Sunday for a game that will be a part of the 27th round of the 2019/20 Bundesliga season, which comes as the second one since the German top flight came back from a two-month break due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The game will, of course, be played behind closed doors – a sad necessity.

Schalke 04

For a team in Schalke’s position, games like this one are hugely important. After 26 games played, they sit in eighth place with 37 points to their name – in a highly tight section of the table. Wolfsburg in sixth are only two points ahead, while Union Berlin in 12th have seven less, all with still eight rounds to be played. It promises to be a desperate scramble for the position which leads to the Europa League for the rest of the season.

Schalke’s last six league matches didn’t exactly yield desired results, with three draws and as many defeats. That may not count for much given the recent two-month break, but the thrashing they suffered last week at the hands of fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund will certainly not have gone down well.

Team News

The Revierderby defeat came with another huge blow. Quite apart from the points lost and having their pride dented, Schalke lost midfielder Amine Harit and centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo to injury, and neither is available to face Augsburg. Midfielder Omar Mascarell and defender Benjamin Stambouli are also out. Defender Ozan Kabak is on his way back from a back injury, but his involvement is still in doubt.

Augsburg

Augsburg are destined for relegation battle, that much is clear. Their chances of survival are still quite decent, but they are far from a point where they could afford to relax. With 26 games gone, they’ve racked up 27 points, four more than Fortuna Dusseldorf in 16th, and if they fail to get a result here, the clash against bottom side Paderborn on Wednesday will become even more significant than it already is.

If Schalke’s recent run has been underwhelming, Augsburg’s has been even more so, with two draws and four defeats from their last six top-flight matches. They will be desperate by now to show their supporters that they can do better.

Team News

Coach Heiko Herrlich will be without the services of 19-year-old defender Simon Asta who is absent through an ACL injury and unlikely to play before the start of next season, but the rest of the squad should be at his disposal.

Conclusion

With everything said, it’s clear that both teams need the points from this game, but with quality obviously on Schalke’s side, a home win is to be expected here. Augsburg will likely be forced to look to the Paderborn match to improve their tally, and it will be a good chance to boost their morale for the remaining games of the campaign.

Verdict: Home win

Best odds: 21/20

Bookmaker: William Hill