FC Bayern at Augsburg: heading into a 'difficult game' with 'full confidence'

It's a short journey, but there's certainly no easy task in store for FC Bayern on Friday evening (kick-off at 20.30 CEST, live coverage on fcbayern.com and in the FC Bayern app with our text commentary and free web radio) in the clash at their in-form neighbours FC Augsburg. Here’s all you need to know ahead of the Matchday 28 meeting in our preview.

Check out the photos from Friday's final training session:

Latest news from Bayern

Sometimes it makes the coach's team talk easier when there's "a difficult away game" coming up, as head coach Vincent Kompany explained in Thursday's pre-match press conference: "It's also a good thing because the team are immediately focused. I don't have to tell them how good the opponents are, that they can be dangerous," said Kompany, who is convinced his team can break Augsburg's long unbeaten run: "If we performance well, we can also pick up points there."

Looking at the table, Kompany is probably right to think that: 65 points after 27 games equates to FC Bayern's best Bundesliga season in seven years. Of the last 14 competitive matches, the men from Munich have lost just one (ten wins, three draws), are still top of the table and, with their 3-2 win over FC St. Pauli, have kept the cushion to their closest rivals in the title race, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, at six points - despite a number of setbacks due to injuries. With a tough schedule of five games within 16 days now coming up for the record champions, starting with the match at Augsburg, Kompany has one wish: "That the lads stay fit. Then we'll also get results."

The opponents: FC Augsburg

Augsburg coach Jess Thorup stressed just how confident the hosts are feeling after their recent run in the Bundesliga: “We're brimming with confidence after going 11 games without defeat," explained the Dane at Wednesday's press conference ahead of the home game against the league leaders - and added: "But you also need that confidence against opponents like Bayern Munich. We want to take that into the game." Many a team have struggled to overcome Augsburg in recent weeks. No other side can boast such a long unbeaten run as the North Bavarians; the aforementioned 11 games without defeat are a club record and also reflected in the table. FCA have never had more than the current 39 points in the Bundesliga at this point in the season.

However, another run of success for Bayern's neighbours in this competition recently came to an end - albeit in an unfortunate manner due to an at least debatable penalty decision. After more than 11 hours without conceding a goal, keeper Finn Dahmen had to fish the ball out of the net in the 1-1 draw with TSG Hoffenheim. So FCB coach Kompany has huge respect for Augsburg's defensive bulwark, but also believes that his team can crack it: "We have good attacking players," emphasised the Belgian, recalling that his team had also "got chances" against a defensively strong St. Pauli on the last matchday: "It doesn't mean it's easy, but we can always go into games full of confidence," said Kompany.

The facts on the clash with FCA:

Team news

Compared to last weekend's match against FC St. Pauli, Kompany is not expecting any players to return in Augsburg. As a result, Bayern are still without the long-term injured Alphonso Davies (cruciate ligament rupture), Dayot Upamecano (knee) and Hiroki Ito (metatarsal fracture), as well as Aleksandar Pavlović (infection) and Manuel Neuer (calf strain).

Augsburg coach Jess Thorup, on the other hand, has the luxury of picking from a full squad for the home game against FCB. "Everyone is available," explained the Dane.

What the coaches say

Check out the key statements from the pre-match press conference with Company and Eberl: