1.FC Kaiserslautern - Erzgebirge Aue

Lautern's captain Bunjaku is not available !!

For 1.FC Kaiserslautern it is very important to win this match today. All of their direct rivals (Hertha BSC, Energie Cottbus) for promotion lost points and this is their chance to overcome both and climb up to second place. But overall not an easy task for them above all at home where they collected only 2 wins out of 6 matches so far. But this is not the only problem for coach Foda, he has a lot to do to bring a good lineup on the pitch. They miss a lot of important players for this encounter, because with de Wit, Alushi, Bunjaku, Borysiuk, Micanski, Yahia and Azaouagh are 7 players not available. They had some hope that Azaouagh can return into the squad but after the Cup match in Muinch where he gave his comeback after long injury his muscle problems are back and stop him for today again. For all this reasons Coach Foda has to change a lot and according to his statement he wants to change the whole double six because Enis Hajri played in Munich but he moves out to the bench and therefore young talented Steven Zellner and Denis Linsmayer are in. Also Zuck is back and return into starting lineup as wing, on the other side should play Fortounis and create some. Playmaker Baumjohann is intended to help the lone striker upfront Idrissou.

Erzgebirge Aue with an uptrend in the past 3 matches where they are unbeaten. They collected their first point away from home at Munich by 1860 and won twice at home with 9-2 goals. But knocked out of the Cup with 0-2 at Mainz. After this match coach Baumann has some problems above all in central defensive where all 3 defenders with Nickenig, Paulus and Klingbeil probably are out. For the last one Klingbeil maybe it is some hope that he can play but it is not much. According to Aue’s news young player Dominic Rau is set as central defender and beside him is a big questionmark. Two options has Baumann in mind. First one should be 20 years old Müller from second team, second one is Marc Hensel who normal plays in central midfield and is more needed there as fighter but is not decided yet. The offensive should be the same as in the past matches where they scored 10 goals in 3 matches.

Both teams with some problems and for this reasons we have to look what team can handle it better. Sure Kaiserslautern for their excellent crowd should be pushed a lot but they failed also to often in the past matches. With so many players unavailable, a quality loss is conceivable.