The dress rehearsal for the duel with FC Bayern didn’t go completely smoothly for RB Leipzig. Nevertheless, the Saxons go into the game against the champions and league leaders full of optimism.
Despite RB Leipzig’s lackluster cup performance in Wiesbaden, Marco Rose demonstratively expressed confidence for the Bundesliga clash against Bayern Munich. “We are always ready for Bayern. When they come, we are there,” said the coach of the cup winners before the top duel with the champions and gave the route: “We go out there in our stadium and try to beat Bayern .”
If successful, RB (12 points) would overtake the current leader (13) in the table. But caution is advised: Unlike the sovereign record champions and league leaders from Munich the day before in the 4-0 win in Münster, Leipzig had to fight for a place in the second cup until the end in their arduous 3-2 win against second division newcomers SV Wehen Wiesbaden -Round trembling.
RB needs an increase in performance against Bayern
“In the end we completely lost control, you have to be honest about that. We have to talk about that,” Rose criticized his team’s performance in the last 20 minutes. “We just defended and played our counterattack situations sloppily.”
The Saxons can’t afford something like that against Bayern. “We know that we need a top performance. We’ve shown it twice now in Munich, why not at home with our fans behind us,” said the 47-year-old football teacher and confirmed: “We’re looking forward to the game .”
With a 3-1 win on the penultimate Bundesliga matchday of last season and a 3-0 win in the Supercup in mid-August, Leipzig recently celebrated spectacular victories in Munich twice. However, the last and so far only home success was five and a half years ago. In March 2018 there was a 2-1 win, since then there have only been three draws and two defeats in front of the home crowd.
This series from the past should now end – and the current one should continue. “We have now won four games in a row. It doesn’t always look pretty, but the mentality and passion are there,” said midfielder and leading goalscorer Emil Forsberg about Leipzig’s current run and confidently announced: “We’re going into the game with a very good feeling the game.”
RB goalkeeper Gulacsi is celebrating his comeback
Benjamin Sesko, who saved Leipzig, who have now been unbeaten in 13 cup games, from a nasty surprise, expects a “tough match” against Bayern. Especially since the rival has one more day to regenerate. This is one of the reasons why Rose rotated a lot in Wiesbaden and brought six new players into the starting line-up.
“We were able to rest a few boys and give others a boost by giving them playing time,” said the RB coach, justifying the measure. “That was the best thing we could do with Bayern in mind. The rotation didn’t lead to a break in the game. That was due to other things,” said Rose.
Against Bayern, who are plagued by significant personnel problems, he is likely to rely on his permanent staff again. This does not include goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi again – despite his successful comeback after an injury break of almost a year due to a torn cruciate ligament.
“It was a special moment for him. He was very emotional, even after the game in the dressing room. You can see how much he missed that,” reported Rose. Gulacsi himself was just happy to be back. “I’m very happy and proud that I achieved this. That’s not something to be taken for granted after such a serious injury.”
Source: Stern
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