Manuel Baum, head coach of Augsburg, has discussed his decision to grant young Portuguese striker Rodrigo Ribeiro a surprising starting spot in Saturday’s Bundesliga match. Baum also took the opportunity to congratulate the 20-year-old for capitalizing on his chance, as Ribeiro scored a fantastic goal during the game.
The Intrigue Surrounding Rodrigo Ribeiro’s Signing
Ribeiro made his way to the Bavarian Swabian Fuggerstadt after Augsburg had already signed Bundesliga veteran Michael Gregoritsch. Despite the departure of natural No. 9 Philipp Tietz, Congo DR international Samuel Essende remained part of the squad.
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As the transfer deadline loomed, Augsburg continued to bolster their attacking options by adding Thomas Kastanaras from Stuttgart and Uchenna Ogundu from Alanyaspor. This raised questions about Ribeiro’s potential role during his short-term loan.
Augsburg Moves On from Essende
This week, Augsburg opened the door for Ribeiro by transferring Essende to Young Boys Bern in Switzerland on the Swiss football transfer deadline day. The Bundesliga club managed to strike a solid deal, recouping nearly all of the €4 million they initially invested in the 28-year-old through a €3.75 million sale, which included an additional €1 million in bonuses.
Ribeiro’s starting position was unexpected, considering that Gregoritsch had begun the previous three league matches. In the only one of five Bundesliga outings where Gregoritsch was unavailable, Baum opted for Anton Kade to lead the attack during the notable matchday 19 victory against Bayern Munich. Baum clarified that it was simply Ribeiro’s chance to shine.
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Baum’s Comments on Ribeiro
“At Augsburg, we aim to provide younger players with a platform, regardless of the circumstances,” Baum stated in a press conference. “We want to ensure we bring players in at the right time, while still having experienced players around them. Rodrigo has played mostly in the second division in Portugal, so he needed some time to adapt to our training. He has now made a few appearances for us.
“You could already see in the last two games [two consecutive substitute appearances] what quality he possesses,” Baum added. “As a center forward, he is technically exceptional. He can create shooting opportunities well and puts in the hard work defensively. That was a fantastic goal from him. Huge credit goes to sporting director Benjamin Weber and the scouting team for continually discovering talents like this.”