Manuel Baum has made Saturday's FC Augsburg vs Bayern München derby a test of belief as much as planning. The game is set for Saturday, October 10 at the WWK Arena, with kickoff at 3:30 p.m. CEST, 9:30 a.m. EDT. FC Augsburg go in on seven points and fourth place, while Bayern München arrive with 10 points from four Bundesliga matches.

Baum's message to Augsburg

Speaking to SPORT1, Baum said Bayern's firepower cannot be the focus if Augsburg want to compete. He said, "If you only look at the opponent’s firepower, then you have already lost. We can now analyse Bayern up and down and keep dealing with the opponent. I believe the most important thing is that we focus on ourselves, because they have a solution for everything, regardless of whether it is personnel or tactical". He also said, "But it has to suit us. It all starts with belief. If you cannot imagine winning, then it will never happen in your life".

That fits the tone of the matchup. Baum also said intensity is more important than tactics, and that Augsburg should be judged by how well they impose their own game rather than by Bayern's status.

Bayern's numbers and Augsburg's task

The gap in attack is obvious enough. Bayern have scored 14 goals and conceded only twice in four league matches, which is why this still feels like a major ask for Augsburg even with their strong start.

Baum's own line about statistics is part of the story too. He said, "I believe that such statistics mean absolutely nothing. That is completely irrelevant. The only thing we are concerned with is: with which strategies do we manage to keep the three points here." It is a preview built on attitude first, and Bayern's numbers explain why.

Augsburg have reason to take that view seriously. Since Baum returned as manager, they have lost just one of their last 13 Bundesliga home matches, and Saturday's game gives them another chance to make the WWK Arena count against a side that rarely gives opponents much room to breathe.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →