Bayern Munich vs. Augsburg predictions, betting tips and match preview

Bayern Munich’s quest for a 19^th DFB-Pokal continues this Wednesday night as Carlo Ancelotti’s side play host to Dirk Schuster’s Augsburg at the Allianz Arena.

Munich routed former East German giants Carl Zeiss Jena 5-0 in Round 1 thanks largely to a hat-trick from main man Robert Lewandowski and the Bundesliga leaders will be hoping for similarly serene progress in this tie.

Opponents Augsburg, who have never won the trophy, eased through their opening tie 0-2 against Ravensburg back in August and could not have wished for a more brutal tie in the last 32 – one that in all honesty should prevent any further progress in this season’s renewal for Schuster’s men.

It’s not exactly hard to see why everything is against Augsburg in this clash.

The visitors sit 12^th in Bundesliga (where they finished last season) and are already 12 points shy of Bayern, having lost 4/8 top flights starts so far.

Whilst they’ve collected half of their 8 point tally on their travels, Fuggerstadter have lost their last two on the road to RB Leipzig and latterly Freiburg, who ran out 2-1 winners this weekend.

Augsburg did claim a shock win over Bayern at the Allianz Arena in May 2015 but were cosily seen off in both Bundesliga fixtures last term. It’s not difficult to envisage a similar story here, despite the probability that Ancelotti will shuffle his pack.

The former Milan, PSG and Chelsea boss has a full complement to choose from here, barring veteran Franck Ribery who remains sidelined with a muscular injury – and it’s likely that wonderkid Renato Sanches will be handed a start alongside French international Kingsley Coman.

And in truth, it could play out worse for Augsburg if Munich’s young talent is thrown out at once, as players such as Sanches and Coman will be fresh and determined to achieve a regular place in the side.

They may need to be patient, as Augsburg don’t concede too many (11 conceded in 8 Bundesliga games) but we’ll tip the hosts to triumph by a two goal margin and step forward to the last 16.