Just four rounds into the new Bundesliga season and Augsburg already look destined for the drop, although the newly promoted side have an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong with a solid performance against one of Germany’s top teams. Bayer Leverkusen are looking for a return to wining ways following the goalless draw against Borussia Dortmund and they won’t get many easier away games than this one.

Two points from four games

Augsburg produced a real coup by gaining promotion to the elite division, but the club chiefs were surprisingly inactive in the summer transfer window and that could end up costing them Bundesliga survival. Operating on a very tight budget, Augsburg just couldn’t sign the players they wanted, so they had to settle for big club rejects and average footballers from Bundesliga 2 clubs. This is definitely one of the reasons why the team picked up just two points from opening four games, thus proving they are rightly considered the main candidates for the drop. Following back to back defeats to Hoffenheim and Nurnberg, the players are really low on confidence at the moment, hence they will struggle to match their more illustrious opponents. The hosts are hoping new signing from Helsinki Dawda Bah will improve the quality of their front line, but the player who failed to make a big impact in weak Finnish Veikkausliiga doesn’t look like a major signing to me.

Starting midfielder Marcel N’Djeng is out with an ankle problem, whereas important striker Nando Rafael is slowly building match fitness, but is unlikely to start.

Leverkusen back in business

Bayer Leverkusen were the only team capable of stopping high-flying Borussia Dortmund last season and the second-placed finish was a just rewards for their efforts throughout the league campaign. The squad have undergone some changes over the summer, with Robin Dutt replacing Jupp Heynckes at the helm, whereas Arturo Vidal left for Juventus. Omer Toprak and Andre Schurrle arrived from Freiburg and Mainz respectively, making sure Bayer remain a serious title contender. Following the opening defeat to Mainz, the team showed a lot of improvement to record back to back wins over Werder and Stuttgart, with the goalless draw against Borussia the perfect proof of team’s title credentials. Coach Robin Dutt was definitely happy to see his side keep three successive clean sheets, and another one of those would probably guarantee die Werkself three points in Augsburg.

Michal Kadlec is suspended after seeing red against Borussia, while Tranquillo Barnetta and Michael Ortega miss out through injury.

Verdict

The first four rounds have shown that Augsburg are by far the weakest side in German Bundesliga, and after losing at home to Hoffenheim, the newly promoted side are likely to struggle against very good Bayer side. Die Werkself look to have already hit the ground running and away win should never come into question.

Our prediction: Away win

Odds: 1.75 (3/4)

Bookmaker: William Hill