Marco Rose's second test is coming up as Bournemouth remain in Austria to face Bundesliga outfit Augsburg. With many places up for grabs, new signings eager to impress and fitness levels building, Augsburg should provide Cherries with an even sterner challenge than previous opponents St Pauli.
AFC Bournemouth's second game of pre season provides another interesting challenge, with Bundesliga side Augsburg standing in Cherries way. Following a comprehensive win in their opening fixture in Austria over St Pauli, the club now face a side that finished just shy of the European spots in the German top flight last campaign.
Augsburg's 25/26 Campaign
Augsburg secured a very respectable ninth placed finish in last season's Bundesliga. While they never seriously threatened the European places, their campaign was one of recovery, resilience and steady improvement throughout. A more than topsy turvy season that ended in them recovering well and ending the campaign in a much better place than they started.
Credit: Yahoo Sports.
The season began in difficult fashion under Sandro Wagner, with many inconsistent performances leaving Augsburg looking over their shoulder at the relegation battle. However, a managerial change proved decisive when former head coach Manuel Baum returned to the dugout in December and immediately transformed the team's fortunes. He managed to guide them from the lower reaches of the table to what ultimately became one of their best ever Bundesliga finishes.
One of the biggest positives was their form after the winter break. Augsburg collected 28 points in the second half of the season, which is their best ever Bundesliga return after the midway stage. Goalkeeper Finn Dahmen enjoyed an outstanding campaign, finishing among the league's busiest and most effective shot stoppers, while academy graduates such as Mert Komur and Noahkai Banks continued to establish themselves in the first team.
There were, however, areas that prevented Augsburg from pushing that bit higher and even mounting a serious European challenge. The lack of cutting edge was their biggest issue, with no player reaching double figures for goals during the campaign. Anton Kade, Michael Gregoritsch and Fabian Rieder all finished as the clubs joint top scorers with just six goals.
Credit: Bundesliga.com
Augsburg Optimistic Ahead of 26/27 Season
Augsburg head into the 2026/27 Bundesliga season looking to build on last year's impressive ninth place finish, with a renewed sense of optimism following the permanent appointment of Manuel Baum. Baum returned to the club midway through last season and oversaw a remarkable turnaround, which earned him a contract until 2028, providing the stability the club had been searching for.
Unlike many other Bundesliga clubs, Augsburg have been relatively quiet in the transfer market so far. Rather than pursuing a major overhaul, the focus has been on continuity and retaining key players. Club officials remain confident they have a squad capable of another top ten finish, although they have left the door open for further additions before the transfer window closes of course.
Any sort of European qualification would represent a significant achievement, but expectations around the WWK Arena remain realistic. Another top half finish will be the primary objective and under Baum there is still room for further progress after one of the strongest campaigns in Augsburg's Bundesliga history once he returned.
So for the Cherries, facing Augsburg should provide a tougher test than that of St Pauli. Many of Bournemouth's players rated highly in a very commanding display in their opener of pre season, but Augsburg will give Marco Rose's side a different type of challenge. Augsburg are often quite happy to let their opponents have the ball and try and cause problems via direct counter attacks. They will be a tough nut to crack and having players such as Rayan returning from an impressive World Cup, will only help Cherries' chances of getting past an organised defence.
