Dortmund's Klopp urges BVB to let rip in Augsburg

AFP, Friday 29 Aug 2014

Dortmund head coach Juergen Klopp waves to Dormund supporters at the end of the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday April 2, 2014 (Photo: AP)

Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp has called for his team to show their true colours in Augsburg on Friday following their defeat against Bayer Leverkusen last weekend.

Augsburg also lost 2-0 at Hoffenheim in their opening Bundesliga fixture, meaning that the home side and Dortmund prop up the standings ahead of their game at the SGL Arena.

Roman Weidenfeller should start in goal for Dortmund for the first time this season but fellow German international and World Cup winner Mats Hummels is not yet ready.

Klopp is again without Jakub Blaszczykowski, Nuri Sahin, Marcel Schmelzer and Ilkay Gundogan. Adrian Ramos and Sven Bender are doubtful for last season's runners-up.

"Two teams that can do better than they've shown until now will be playing against each other," said Klopp, who could be set to bring Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa back to Dortmund.

"We want to give our opponents so many problems that it will take them another week to get back on track."

Last weekend Dortmund never recovered once Leverkusen's Karim Bellarabi scored the fastest goal in Bundesliga history after just nine seconds.

Meanwhile, Augsburg conceded two goals in three minutes against Hoffenheim. Markus Weinzierl's team were also beaten by fourth division Magdeburg in the German Cup.

The home team, who finished eighth last season, will not have fond memories of Friday's visitors. On the opening weekend last year, Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang scored a hat-trick as Dortmund won 4-0 in Augsburg.

"We should approach the game positively," Augsburg Sporting Director Stefan Reuter told Kicker.

"The stadium will be packed. I hope the fans can give the team the necessary momentum to get them back to winning ways."

Following their win over VfL Wolfsburg last Friday, defending champions Bayern Munich strengthened their squad to compensate for the long-term absence of injured Spanish international Javi Martinez.

Centre back Mehdi Benatia joined on a five-year deal from Roma, while Bayern also hope to complete a move for Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso.

On Saturday evening, Pep Guardiola's side take on fellow Champions League qualifiers Schalke 04. Gelsenkirchen native and ex-Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will return to the Veltins Arena for the first time since helping Germany win the World Cup this summer.

"It's definitely a special game," he said.

Neuer has been on the winning side and kept a clean sheet on the three previous occasions he has played there as a Bayern player. In total, Schalke have lost their last seven matches against Bayern.

This season, Jens Keller's team have already been knocked out of the German Cup and last Saturday they lost 2-1 at Hanover in the Bundesliga.

"In this situation, you don't necessarily want them as your next opponent," Schalke midfielder Julian Draxler said of Bayern.

"But now we have to pull ourselves together and stop the negative trend. I'm convinced that we have the chance to do so against Bayern."

Midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, who has an ankle problem, is unlikely to start for Schalke. Striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is also doubtful.

Also on Saturday, Bayer Leverkusen will look to continue their blistering start to the season when they host Hertha Berlin.

Matches

Friday

Augsburg v Borussia Dortmund

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen v Hertha Berlin

VfL Wolfsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt

Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim