Augsburg play host to FC Koln on Sunday afternoon with the opportunity to move level on points with their 12th-placed opponents in the Bundesliga table.
As for the visitors, ending a five-match winless streak will realistically ensure that they retain their top-flight status for another 12 months.
Match preview
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Ahead of their trip to Hertha Berlin, Augsburg would have felt that they were potentially one victory away from easing any lingering pressure with regards to a relegation battle.
However, despite registering four points and successive clean sheets from games against Schalke 04 and Paderborn, succumbing 2-0 in Germany's capital has left Heiko Herrlich's team with plenty of work to do.
With five games remaining, Augsburg sit four points clear of 16th-placed Fortuna Dusseldorf and a further two ahead of Werder Bremen, whose goal difference is considerably worse.
Right now, Augsburg's fate is in their own hands, but defeat on Sunday would raise the stakes significantly ahead of their following game against Mainz 05, who are only three points adrift in 15th spot.
While Herrlich will want to see improvements in all areas, witnessing his side score just four goals in five games, three of which came against Schalke, will concern the former Germany international heading into the run-in.
Like their hosts, Koln will view this contest as an opportunity to put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack, and an 11th success of the campaign would leave the club on the brink of confirming their survival.
The worry for Markus Gisdol is that his team appear incapable of keeping everything tight at the back, with at least two goals being conceded in each of their last five matches.
Shipping 15 strikes in half-a-dozen encounters has come after back-to-back clean sheets were kept against Schalke and Hertha at the end of February, highlighting a demise which has come out of the blue.
However, Gisdol will feel that his players still possess the quality to not only get over the line when it comes to avoiding the drop, but by taking the chance to overturn a four-point deficit and end the campaign as high as eighth.
Augsburg Bundesliga form: LLLWDL
FC Koln Bundesliga form: WLDDLL
Team News
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Gisdol continues to deal with selection issues through suspension, with Dominick Drexler joining Sebastiaan Bornauw on the sidelines after picking up a fifth yellow card.
Koln also have doubts over key duo Mark Uth and Jhon Cordoba, who have been suffering with muscle and knee injuries respectively.
While Niklas Hauptmann is closing in on a return after groin surgery, he will only be selected on the substitutes' bench at best.
As for Augsburg, they are able to welcome back Jeffrey Gouweleeuw, who was absent from the last fixture due to a ban.
Daniel Baier is expected to be recalled after being rested, but Simon Asta is out for the season after sustaining a serious knee injury.
Augsburg possible starting lineup:
Luthe; Framberger, Gouweleeuw, Uduokhai, Max; Baier, Khedira; Richter, Lowen, Vargas; Niederlechner
FC Koln possible starting lineup:
Horn; Ehizibue, Leistner, Mere, Schmitz; Skhiri, Hector; Kainz, Uth, Jakobs; Modeste
We say: Augsburg 1-1 FC Koln
With only one victory between them since the resumption, this is a difficult match to call. Given that both clubs will be desperate to avoid defeat rather than pushing for maximum points, a low-scoring draw, in theory, appears to be the most likely outcome.
Darren Plant
