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Augsburg (AP) - Markus Weinzierl is looking forward to his coach comeback at relegation-threatened FC Augsburg and in the Bundesliga.
“It's definitely tingling,” said the 46-year-old with a view to the away game at VfB Stuttgart on Friday (8.30 p.m. / DAZN).
He is hoping for a victory that would be a "giant step" to stay in the league.
"There is always an effect when a coach changes," said Weinzierl, who had worked very successfully at FCA from 2012 to 2016.
The first game after 748 days of absence from the Bundesliga confronts him with the past.
Because after a 0: 6 in Augsburg Weinzierl had to leave VfB Stuttgart on April 20, 2019.
"These are the stories that football writes," said Weinzierl on Thursday about the explosive reunion with VfB: "I don't want to look back, it only counts on Friday evening at 8.30 p.m."
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Weinzierl wants to see the "virtues of FC Augsburg" on the pitch again, poisonous in a duel and with a consistent game of switching.
He was able to work intensively with the team for over a week, which he described as an advantage.
In the last three games against Stuttgart, Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich, the team should lead alongside captain Jeffrey Gouweleeuw by the experienced Rani Khedira, André Hahn, Florian Niederlechner and Daniel Caligiuri, whom Weinzierl named.
Then there is the often emotional goalkeeper Rafal Gikiewicz.
In the final sprint to remain in the class, Weinzierl has to do without the injured central defender Felix Uduokhai.
"Of course that's a blow for us," said the coach.
Striker Alfred Finnbogason is also at risk of sideline due to patellar tendon problems in Stuttgart.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210506-99-490482 / 2