FC Augsburg secured their Bundesliga status for another season on Saturday, largely due to an exceptional display from goalkeeper Finn Dahmen. The 28-year-old was named Man of the Match for his nine vital saves in their 2-1 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Dahmen also played a role in Bundesliga history. Bayer Leverkusen registered an impressive 36 shots, the most a team has taken in a Bundesliga match without winning. Both Augsburg’s head coach, Manuel Baum, and Dahmen himself, along with his teammates, reflected on the significant game.
Finn Dahmen Reflects on His Performance
“Now that we’ve secured safety, we can relax and enjoy the remaining games,” Dahmen told German broadcaster DAZN. “I’m obviously pleased that it turned into a goalkeeper’s game today and that I could help the team. Once you’ve made three, four, or five saves, you get a feeling that it’s a really good day. It’s enjoyable, of course. However, I would also be happy if we conceded fewer chances in the coming weeks.”
Augsburg Praises Their Goalkeeper
“We could have defended better,” stated head coach Manuel Baum during the post-match press conference. “But he played a crucial part in this. I believe a highlight reel of Finn’s performance today would be over ten minutes long. His consistent week-in, week-out performances make him fully deserving of a place in the national squad. I would be delighted if Finn could move on to represent his country after this season. He demonstrates week after week that he fully deserves it.”
“Finn is clearly a German national team goalkeeper,” added Augsburg teammate Cedric Zesiger. “That’s my opinion.”
Will Dahmen Feature for Germany?
Dahmen, known for his crucial saves and who chased club and Bundesliga records last season, was indeed included in Bundestrainer Julian Nagelsmann’s squad for the recent March international break. However, the 28-year-old is yet to earn his senior international debut, as Nagelsmann opted for Oliver Baumann and Alexander Nübel in the two friendly matches.
Neither Baumann nor Nübel particularly impressed. Consequently, despite his repeated refusal to return to the national team, many German media outlets speculate that Bayern Munich legend Manuel Neuer might make a surprising return and start in goal for Germany at the World Cup. Baumann and Nübel combined have only 14 international caps.
Nagelsmann initially selected four goalkeepers for his Euro 2024 squad, though Nübel did not make the final cut. Noah Atubolu of Freiburg and Jonas Urbig of Bayern have also received call-ups under Nagelsmann without earning their first cap. It is plausible that, given the circumstances, Nagelsmann might again nominate four goalkeepers.
Dahmen might get an opportunity in one of the pre-tournament friendlies. However, it is more likely that Nagelsmann will prioritize giving Baumann as much experience as possible. It’s also worth noting that the Wiesbaden-born keeper’s recent form hasn’t been as consistently outstanding as his club performances might suggest.
Dahmen conceded five goals against Stuttgart three weeks ago and also put in a shaky performance in last week’s 2-2 draw against Hoffenheim. Dahmen, whose mother is English, is also eligible to represent England internationally.
Dahmen remains low in the pecking order for the German national team. While his brilliant performance against Leverkusen is commendable, the likelihood of Dahmen earning his first international cap soon appears remote.
Augsburg’s “Fuggerstädter” have much to celebrate in their reliable number one, especially on the day they confirmed their 16th consecutive season in the Bundesliga. The Bavarian Swabians have never been relegated from the German top flight.
