FC Augsburg must replace Noahkai Banks for Saturday’s meeting with Bayern Munich after the 19-year-old suffered lateral ligament damage in his right knee while away with Germany’s Under-21 side.
Manuel Baum did not receive a timetable for Banks’ return when Augsburg confirmed the injury on Sunday. The defensive problem is immediate. Banks played every minute of the opening four Bundesliga matchdays and had occupied the right-hand role in Augsburg’s back three.
The academy product helped Augsburg into a solid start, despite a difficult outing in the 3-2 defeat at Werder Bremen last time out. His absence now forces a decision before the visit of the record champions.
Baum’s choices in the back three
- Juma Bah could come straight into the side. The 20-year-old centre-back is on loan from Manchester City and is highly rated, but has not yet played a competitive minute for Augsburg. He could take Banks’ position on the right.
- Baum could move Chrislain Matsima to the right and use Bah in the middle. That would place both defenders in roles that may suit them best, but it would also mean fielding Bah without match rhythm or established coordination with his new teammates against Bayern.
- Jeffrey Gouweleeuw is another candidate for the right side of the defence. The captain, however, is most comfortable centrally. Baum could otherwise retain Matsima as the central organiser, with summer signing Calvin Brackelmann on his usual left side.
- Yannik Keitel offers a further, less likely solution. The versatile defender has mostly appeared from the bench this season, including in the double pivot when Han-Noah Massengo needed relief. He can also operate in the defensive line.
The selection carries extra weight against Bayern. Any lack of understanding in a newly arranged defence can be exposed quickly by that opponent.
A previous Allianz Arena upset
Augsburg won 2-1 at the Allianz Arena in January. Arthur Chaves, then borrowed from Hoffenheim, started that match and scored with a header on his debut.
The Brazilian was not signed permanently and now plays for Botafogo. Augsburg will therefore need a different defensive answer this time, with both Chaves and Banks unavailable for the challenge in Munich.
