Thorup reflects on 10-game unbeaten run

Augsburg coach Jess Thorup spoke to the media after Saturday’s 1-0 win over Wolfsburg, his side’s 10th league game in a row without defeat.

After a 1-0 victory against VfL Wolfsburg, on a fifty-third minute goal from Phillip Tietz, their tenth consecutive result in the Bundesliga with a win or draw (6-4-0), Augsburg coach Jess Thorup started his press conference by saying, “Ten matches without a loss… that is something.”

This recent winning streak means that Thorup’s side are now ninth in the Bundesliga table, just four points away from sixth-place SC Freiburg who hold the final spot in European competition. “We will be happy about that, that is for sure, but there are still eight matches remaining,” he added.

Regarding their performance over the 90 minutes, the 55-year-old Dane stated, “For me today, it felt like a very close match, both ends did not allow much; I have a feeling that we did not particularly get into the match in the first 15 – 20 minutes, but from then on, I felt that we were better on the pitch.”

“In the last 10 minutes, we went back a bit too much in my opinion, left the match to Wolfsburg; there were a few chances, but in the moment, we were also very fortunate that we got a few excellent saves again from Finn [Dahmen]. Ultimately, three points before the international break – what could be better? Now, we have an opportunity to relax,” Thorup said.

About their opponents in the match, Thorup said: “It was a very important three points before the international break that we needed, I talked to the team about how it is possible to maintain the momentum for as long as possible; we knew that a very strong opponent was coming, seven matches without defeat and a lot of quality moving forward; if we win a match like that, then it means that we are on a decent path.”

To the Augsburg supporters, Thorup specifically addressed them and the impact they have brought to the players and the club: “I want to say hello to the fans, to thank them for the support they have given us for the last few weeks and months. I think they are also very involved in why we are successful at the moment, and this is why I wanted to address them and say hello to them in particular.”