Preview: Schalke 04 vs. Augsburg - prediction, team news, lineups

Schalke 04 take on Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Sunday, with the hosts looking to avoid being all but mathematically relegated at the end of the weekend.

Should Schalke lose to Augsburg and Mainz 05 and Hertha Berlin both win, Die Konigsblauen would be 18 points from safety with six games remaining, with a far inferior goal difference to both sides effectively condemning them to the second tier of German football.

Match preview

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In truth, Schalke have looked near certainties to be relegated for the first time since 1988 for a long time now, with a series of changes in management throughout the campaign unable to provide an upturn in form.

Dimitrios Grammozis was drafted in as Schalke's fifth head coach of the season last month, but has provided a meek return of one point from four games.

However, Schalke were at least competitive and scored for the first time under Grammozis's tutelage in their 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last weekend, while restricting their opponents to only three shots on target.

Unfortunately for Grammozis's side, Leverkusen scored with two of them, with strikers Lucas Alario and Patrik Schick both getting themselves on the scoresheet.

Club legend Klaas Jan Huntelaar became Schalke's oldest ever goalscorer by thumping home a late consolation goal on his first start since rejoining the club in January, having earlier had a goal disallowed for a tight offside call.

With the 37-year-old in attack, they may have more cutting edge against Augsburg on Sunday.

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Augsburg, meanwhile, appeared to confirm their Bundesliga survival for a 10th successive season by beating Hoffenheim 2-1 last weekend.

The victory opened up a nine-point gap for them ahead of the relegation zone, with Heiko Herrlich's side starting the match with serious intent.

Daniel Caligiuri, who will be relishing facing his former club on Sunday, provided a driving run to open up space for Ruben Vargas to bury the ball into the far corner with a pinpoint finish.

Vargas, clearly buoyed by scoring for Switzerland during the international break, turned provider with an excellent long pass for Andre Hahn to race in behind and double Augsburg's lead with a superbly smashed finish past the helpless Oliver Baumann.

Hoffenheim rallied after the break, with Ihlas Bebou going close, before Robert Skov scored his first goal of the season with a terrific half-volley into the far corner, but Herrlich's side doggedly held on as they so often do.

The 49-year-old will be demanding his side punish a struggling Schalke side to signal a comfortable mid-table finish for his team this season.

Team News

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William and Shkodran Mustafi have been dropped by Grammozis for disciplinary reasons, with neither player likely to play again for Schalke this season.

Salif Sane, Nabil Bentaleb, Nassim Boujellab, Matija Nastasic, Steven Skrzybski, Kilian Ludewig, Hamza Mendyl and Levent Mercan are all unlikely to return from injury in time to face Augsburg.

Huntelaar should retain his place alongside Amine Harit in attack after impressing on his first start since rejoining the club.

Augsburg, meanwhile, are likely to travel without Florian Niederlechner, Raphael Framberger, Tim Civeja, Fredrik Jensen and Iago due to injury.

Robert Gumny is likely to switch sides to right-back in Framberger's place, with Mads Pedersen coming into the XI at left-back.

Schalke 04 possible starting lineup:
Ronnow; Becker, Stambouli, Thiaw; Aydin, Serdar, Mascarell, Kolasinac, Calhanoglu; Huntelaar, Harit

Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Gikiewicz; Gumny, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Pedersen; Khedira, Gruezo; Caligiuri, Vargas; Richter, Hahn

We say: Schalke 04 0-1 Augsburg

We can envisage a narrow victory for Augsburg, who appear to have found form again having won three of their last five matches to move away from any danger.

Herrlich's side should prove a little too stubborn defensively for Schalke to be able to break down, with plenty of threat in transition in the other direction.