Matarazzo from the market
©IMAGO
In the last game of the year against SV Werder Bremen, interim coach Manuel Baum will once again be on the sidelines at FC Augsburg. A new coach will then be introduced to prepare for the second half of the season. There is now a concrete lead in the search for a successor to Sandro Wagner, who was released at the beginning of the month.
According to “Bild”, the Bundesliga club has Ralph Hasenhüttl on the list. The 58-year-old Austrian has been without a club since leaving VfL Wolfsburg in May and could take over immediately. With Lower Saxony he collected an average of 1.36 points in 44 games and had to retire after failing to qualify for European business for the fourth year in a row. Previously, Hasenhüttl was much more successful at FC Southampton and RB Leipzig. Since leaving Wolfsburg, he has also been linked to Glasgow Rangers, among others.
In Augsburg, Hasenhüttl is a serious candidate primarily because he is trusted to continue Wagner’s style. In contrast to many predecessors, the 38-year-old tried to play more attractive football with more ball possession and high pressing. According to the FCA bosses, this should not change under the successor. We are also looking for a coach who can deal with young players.
FC Augsburg: Matarazzo was also a candidate, but is going to Real Sociedad
Another candidate who would have fit into this scheme and was therefore on the list was Pellegrino Matarazzo, according to “Bild”. The 48-year-old most recently worked at TSG Hoffenheim, where he had to leave in November 2024 after 67 games with a points average of 1.28. Now the American seems to be about to sign with Spanish first division club Real Sociedad San Sebastián and is therefore no longer available (to the news).