Liverpool FC Forum

We could not really have asked for an easier draw, although i accept no game is an easy game, i am pretty happy with that

The draw was made on Monday lunchtime, with Jurgen Klopp being handed a return to Germany. Klopp faced Ausburg eight times as manager of Borussia Dortmund, losing just once.

The ties will take place on the 18th or 25th February, and 10th or 17th March, with the second leg at Anfield.

The two sides have never faced each other in a competitive match before.

Ausburg play at the 30,660-seater WWK ARENA, and are currently 13th in Bundesliga – winning just four of their 16 league games so far this season.

They qualified for the last 32 finishing second in group L, winning three, losing three and scraping past Partizan who also finished on nine points.

Liverpool qualified for the last 32 after topping their group, which featured FC Sion, Rubin Kazan and Bordeaux.

The final will take place at Basel’s St. Jakob Park on 18th May.

If the first leg is away we need to go and get a 3 -0 win, then bring them back home to play out a 0 - 0.

leeroy74 » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:44 pm wrote:If the first leg is away we need to go and get a 3 -0 win, then bring them back home to play out a 0 - 0.

The first leg is away, the germans were drawn first, just that the graphic (from LFC official) has us first on it lol

But totally agree that a 2 or 3 goal away win to bring back would be just the medicine

Just to clarify...

Liverpool will face Augsburg in Germany on Thursday 18 February with the 2nd leg at Anfield being played on Thursday 25 February.

Can't complain about that, if we don't get past them over two legs then we don't deserve to go any further

Could have been a much more difficult draw but in our current form/lineup its a pretty much open for both sides.

ycsatbjywtbiastkamb » Mon Dec 14, 2015 1:15 pm wrote:Can't complain about that, if we don't get past them over two legs then we don't deserve to go any further

Agreed 

C-R » Mon Dec 14, 2015 12:41 pm wrote:The draw was made on Monday lunchtime, with Jurgen Klopp being handed a return to Germany. Klopp faced Ausburg eight times as manager of Borussia Dortmund, losing just once.

The ties will take place on the 18th or 25th February, and 10th or 17th March, with the second leg at Anfield.

The two sides have never faced each other in a competitive match before.

Ausburg play at the 30,660-seater WWK ARENA, and are currently 13th in Bundesliga – winning just four of their 16 league games so far this season.

They qualified for the last 32 finishing second in group L, winning three, losing three and scraping past Partizan who also finished on nine points.

Liverpool qualified for the last 32 after topping their group, which featured FC Sion, Rubin Kazan and Bordeaux.

The final will take place at Basel’s St. Jakob Park on 18th May.

Oooohhh, careful lads. Don't be setting this up to look easy. You know what happens when we go into a match which is billed as being an easy touch.....
The buggers have to be terrified in order for them to play well.
I'm hoping JK will have brought in a couple of really decent players before these matches, give us something to be excited about.

I'd describe Augsburg as Germany's equivalent to Stoke ,they've won their last four games which include a 0-4 away win at Stuttgart and beat Schalke 2-1 on Sunday so they're certainly no pushovers. If anyone watches the Bundesliga they will also be aware that the team has a smattering of talented footballers ,and imo these are players we shouldn't underestimate ,not least this Argentinian fella

Looking at who we could have drawn, Augsburg might be one the easiest to be honest. Klopp also has experience playing against these, so I think we should be able to go through.

German football expert Ralph Honigstein on Augsburg

They had a bit of a nightmare start but they've since really picked up good form and started to have some good results. They qualified last minute to make a miraculous escape from the group stages and reach the knockouts of the Europa League. The momentum has really shifted and everybody's really happy again. Markus Weinzierl, the manager, it's absolutely amazing what he does because he has the lowest budget in the league - to finish where they did last year (fifth) was a miracle in itself. To be able to sustain that to a certain extent is really testament to how well they're doing. They're a really well-run club who have come from relative obscurity and are now in what is only their fifth season in the Bundesliga against the odds.

What are Augsburg's big strengths?

Raul Bobadilla is a very big player for them in all senses of the word. He's quite robust and stocky and he is a huge player for them; he scores a lot of goals, his running is really good. They are one of those teams who try to press you and force mistakes, you can't rest a single minute against them. They don't have as much technique in the team but they really work hard as a team and play as a team and that's why they outperform teams with much bigger budgets. That's what makes them a dangerous opponent for Liverpool.

Jürgen Klopp suffered defeat to Augsburg when he last met them with Borussia Dortmund...

I don't know if the newspapers came up with it, but people were saying Augsburg were like a 'mini Dortmund' and it was a reference to the way they play and the way they get a lot out of players who you wouldn't expect to be as high up the table. They also beat Guardiola's Bayern. They're awkward, really aggressive, and they absolutely 100 per cent enjoy being in the Europa League. That's something that shouldn't be underestimated because they absolutely love it. It's their first ever Europa League campaign - they enjoy the fact that they're there. I was in Munich yesterday and a lot of people in Bavaria were already talking about this game and how amazing it would be to see Augsburg host Liverpool and for them to travel to Anfield.

Augsburg will be twice the team of anything weve faced in Europe so far and we struggled in those games.

If we dont shape we will be knocked out against these.

Imo though mate we face better teams than these on a weekly basis, when you look at some of the sides we could have drawn (Valencia, Sevilla, Lazio, Fiorentina, Dortmund, Fenerbahce, Leverkusen, Sporting Lisbon, Olympiakos, Anderlecht etc etc) we have got to be happy with Ausburg.
As I said if we don't beat these over 2 legs we don't deserve to go through, I'm not saying these are a poor side but they can only dream of spending £32m on a CF and £29m on a AM in the same window like we did last summer.

Small teams worry me more than the so called bigger ones. Our performances vs minnow have been poor to say the least.
In the past when upcoming fixtures were against weaker sides you would get excited and think this game is in the bag, nice 3-0 win.
The way we are atm im more confident against the bigger teams.