FC Augsburg is threatened with the loss of goalscorer Mergim Berisha and first-choice goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz in the next game in the Bundesliga. The chances for both of them to play against 1. FC Köln on Saturday (3.30 p.m. / Sky) are “50:50”, as coach Enrico Maaßen said.
National player Berisha lost his ankle against VfL Wolfsburg (2:2) and have only trained individually so far. Gikiewicz has shoulder problems. The fact that the two could miss the home game at the weekend does not worry him, Maassen emphasized. “It’s happened again and again this year that important players break away and we compensated for it.”
Gikiewicz would be replaced by Czech Tomas Koubek. “There are different alternatives up front,” said Maassen. The 39-year-old fully trusts his squad. “If one or the other important player is missing, it can also be an impulse to move even closer together as a team, to work even more than we already do. So I’m positive, no matter what happens.”