Written by Chad Nagel for Soccer Betting News. Follow them both on Twitter and Facebook now!
Bayern Munich vs FC Augsburg | Sunday 12 July | Borussia-Park | 16:15
The second semi-final of the Telekom Cup will be played between current champions Bayern Munich and Augsburg in what could be a thrilling encounter. Augsburg were one of the few teams to beat Pep Guardiola’s side last season by a 1-0 margin at the Allianz Arena in May.
To Win (45mins)
Bayern Munich 17/20
Draw 19/10
FC Augsburg 42/10
Bayern Munich
The 2014/15 season saw Bayern Munich secure their third consecutive league title and a second one for Guardiola. Certainly they are too good for the Bundesliga, emphasised by breaking the record for the most points accumulated before the winter break, 45. The Bavarians recorded 25 wins from 34 matches with four draws and five defeats. Guardiola’s side netted a remarkable eighty goals with Robert Lewandowski, Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller all reaching double figures. Not only are Bayern lethal in offence but they are rock-solid in defence having conceded just eighteen times last season. Despite losing to Augsburg in the league just two months ago, Bayern can argue the fact that they were champions already and weren’t pushed hard enough by the other teams. The Bundesliga champions still have a very good record against Augsburg with eight wins from their last ten encounters.
FC Augsburg
Augsburg capped a fairy-tale campaign by securing automatic qualification for Europe for the first time in their history in 2014/15. Augsburg won fifteen of their 34 matches played with fifteen defeats and four draws, which is actually quite good for a side of their standard. Augsburg have a number of players that could hurt Bayern on Sunday, yet none are quite as talented as left-back Baba Rahman who is reportedly attracting interest from Chelsea. Rahman offers pace and technique down the left flank and will look to create goal-scoring chances for Augsburg’s ten-goal top scorer of last season, Raul Bobadilla. The Argentine is a proven net-rattler who has already beaten Manuel Neuer before and Bayern will need to mark him tightly.
VERDICT: Bayern Munich 17/20
The Bundesliga champions have an abundance of world-class players with the likes of Robben, Ribery and Lewandowski leading a lethal team that is superior to Augsburg in all departments. Back Bayern all the way.
