- Before the start of the cup in Berlin: Augsburg wants to make amends
After last season's first-round embarrassment, FC Augsburg aims to redeem themselves in the DFB-Pokal. Coach Jess Thorup promised ahead of Sunday's (13:00 CET, Sky) season opener against Regionalliga side Viktoria Berlin, "Now is the time for us to make our mark in the cup." The Dane took over the Swabians mid-season, missing the 0:2 loss in the first round against SpVgg Unterhaching. He's set for his DFB-Pokal debut.
Thorup emphasized the importance of cup competitions and made a bold statement: "For me, it's about staying in the cup as long as possible. Who knows, we're heading to Berlin now - and hopefully, we'll make it back there later." The DFB-Pokal final takes place at Berlin's Olympic Stadium on May 24, 2025.
Thorup also confirmed he'll bring all available players, barring injured Finn Dahmen and Robert Gumny, including new signing Marius Wolf, who's still catching up on training but feeling good. Recovered Kristijan Jakic is also in the mix.
Even players rumored to be leaving, like Felix Uduokhai, Ruben Vargas, and Niklas Dorsch, are part of Thorup's plans for Berlin. "All three are in and available. It's about fielding the best possible team," the coach reiterated.
Jess Thorup expressed his excitement about making an impact in the DFB-Pokal, mentioning their potential return to Berlin's Olympic Stadium for the final in 2025. Despite injures to Finn Dahmen and Robert Gumny, the coach confirmed that all available players, including new signing Marius Wolf and potential departing players like Felix Uduokhai, Ruben Vargas, and Niklas Dorsch, are part of his plans for the DFB-Pokal match against Viktoria Berlin.
