LSlowly, but surely, the time begins in which Marco Rose also begins to focus more intensively on the table. The RB Leipzig coach is pleased with what he sees after this weekend. His team’s gap to fourth place has shrunk to just one point – and that’s where the Leipzig team wants to be (at least).
Because this performance entitles you to take part in the Champions League at the end of the season. In the current competition, RB will probably leave the international business soon. After the 0-1 defeat against Real Madrid during the week, everything points to an exit in the round of 16.
Leipzig managed to return to everyday life surprisingly easily in a 2-0 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Astonishing because RB experienced a crisis in results at the beginning of the calendar year with three defeats in a row and recently suffered from recurring problems. A lack of consistency in defensive behavior was an issue, but it didn’t play a role against Gladbach. Borussia was too harmless for that, and Leipzig achieved too much, especially offensively.
“Games have become a secondary matter”
This team, newly formed last summer, knows how to inspire on good days, and from a purely sporting perspective, Saturday was one of those days. The fact that there was still no enthusiasm in the stadium had tragic reasons. A Gladbach fan died in a traffic accident on the way to the game. An RB Leipzig supporter died in the block during the game. This was announced at halftime. From then on there was largely silence on both sides. “The game then became a minor matter,” said Rose.
His analysis of the sporting part was positive. “We deserved to win because we solved all the tasks that were presented to us,” said the Leipzig coach. With flying colors, Rose could have said. The way his team took the lead was more than worth seeing. Xavi Simons took a half-high pass from Yussuf Poulsen with his thigh – and then shot the ball straight out of the air with his instep into the goal.
There are only a few in the Bundesliga who are capable of such technical finesse. Simons delivers dream goals of this kind with consistent regularity, and one of the central questions at RB Leipzig is already how this wondrous youngster can be retained beyond the summer. Simons is only on loan; according to his contract, he would have to return to Paris Saint Germain at the end of this season.
Loïs Openda, on the other hand, is tied to RB until the end of June 2028, but he also arouses desire. The 24-year-old Belgian scored for the fifteenth time in the Bundesliga against Gladbach. At this point in the season, no Leipzig entry has ever been so successful. His most recent goal celebration was initially cautious, and Openda thought he was offside at the beginning of the second half. However, the video assistant corrected the decision on the field; Gladbach’s Luca Netz had been just closer to his own goal.
Rose, who is primarily critical of video evidence, benefited from the review this time. The Gladbachers never recovered from this goal, even though they were certainly convincing in terms of the game.
The victory was not only good for Leipzig’s balance sheet, but also for their self-confidence. Next weekend we’re going to Munich to play FC Bayern. Probably without defender Lukas Klostermann, who had to be substituted injured against Gladbach. “We have proven in the past that we can also win in Munich,” said Rose. Looking at the table, a win may not be mandatory, but it would at least be very helpful.
#Leipzig #defeats #Gladbach #Bundesliga #silence #deaths