"Real slap" - no doubts about Wagner after 0:6 debacle
The fans were satisfied. Augsburg coach Sandro Wagner, however, surprised everyone with his rather positive outlook after the 6-0 defeat to RB Leipzig. The team intends to continue on the path they've chosen.
Sandro Wagner showed no signs of self-doubt, even after the trainee coach's most devastating blow to date. 0-6 – until Saturday, FC Augsburg had never lost as heavily at home as against RB Leipzig in 15 years of Bundesliga football. It was "a slap in the face," as Wagner himself said. But the 37-year-old has no doubts about his path. And the FCA management also continues to believe in Wagner's path.
When asked by a reporter whether he still felt 100 percent support, the former national team assistant coach smiled smugly and then answered loudly and clearly: "Yes!" When asked, Wagner elaborated: "Because it's the path we want to take. And especially with such a young team, everyone knows that things can go wrong sometimes."
Overconfident against Leipzig's turbo-kickersAgainst the young and increasingly dynamic RB Leipzig players, Wagner's bold approach to play led to his downfall. It was rather overconfident to attack from far forward and then be "brutally" countered and "punished for every mistake," as midfielder Robin Fellhauer groaned.
Almost every Leipzig shot was a goal. After 22 minutes, the score was 0-3. Boom! The naive Augsburg players, including their coach, didn't even realize they were beating themselves. "It felt totally strange," said Wagner. He actually thought his team was playing well. In terms of shots on goal, for example, they finished level with Leipzig – but not in terms of conversion.
All five Leipzig attackers, Yan Diomande, Rômulo, Antonio Nusa, Christoph Baumgartner, and Assan Ouédraogo, were able to score to their heart's content against an overwhelmed FCA defense. Even FCA goalkeeper Finn Dahmen, who had recently been called up to the national team twice, was no longer a reliable option. He made a particularly bad mistake when Castello Lukeba conceded the sixth goal.
Bayern hunters? RB coach Werner smilesRB Leipzig coach Ole Werner described Leipzig's biggest away win in the Bundesliga as "close to optimal" effectiveness. After 19 points from their last seven matches, the inevitable question was whether the second-placed team now feels like they're chasing Bayern Munich.
Werner grinned and then replied in a dry northern German: "We feel like RB Leipzig and are happy that we're getting more and more of our football on the pitch, and that it's also leading to points. That's the most important thing for us."
Werner also had to endure a 6-0 defeat at Bayern Munich at his start in Leipzig. Since then, however, the newly formed RB Leipzig team has been developing at a rapid pace. Can Wagner do the same in Augsburg, at a lower level and with a lesser squad?
Sandro Wagner: "A 0-6 defeat hurts, but we can do it"The man with the big ego believes in it. "Hopefully, we'll stay clear and stay stable in the coming weeks," he said. We'll take the setback after four points into account and continue on the path – and hopefully we'll be rewarded. A 6-0 defeat hurts, but we can do it."
Augsburg's sporting director Benjamin Weber reiterated his belief in Wagner and their shared path – "until it works." It's about "remaining convinced of the approach," the 42-year-old emphasized.
FCA professional Rieder: "We are still in the discovery phase"The fans reacted angrily after the fifth defeat of the season. At the fence in the stands, the FCA players had to endure some harsh words, as Fellhauer and teammate Fabian Rieder reported: "The ultras were fed up."
They're demanding a response in the two home games that continue the busy week, with the DFB Cup on Tuesday against VfL Bochum and the league match against Borussia Dortmund on Friday. The players, like Wagner, continue to believe in the common path. "It's a completely different style of play," said Rieder, urging patience from the team and coach: "We're still in the process of finding our feet."
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