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European Battle Adds Spice To Fiery Leipzig-Borussia Dortmund Clash

admin — Fri, 26 Apr 2024 04:45:25 +0000

RB Leipzig host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday with possible Champions League qualification at stake in what has become one of the Bundesliga’s bitterest rivalries in recent years. Fourth-placed Leipzig sit two points clear of Dortmund in fifth, with only the top four clubs guaranteed Champions League football next season — although Germany may snare a fifth spot in the new UEFA qualification system thanks to strong European performances. The rivalry between the sides has been fierce ever since Leipzig were first promoted in 2016.

At Leipzig’s first match in Dortmund, the famous Yellow Wall unveiled a banner calling the Red Bull-owned newcomers “the shame of the league”, while around 2,000 fans marched through the city before the game in protest.

Both sides’ claims to being the next best after Bayern Munich were dealt a blow by Bayer Leverkusen’s stunning title run this season, but Leipzig and Dortmund can still be regarded as next in line for the throne.

Since Leipzig were promoted to the first division ahead of the 2016-17 season, only once has neither finished second behind Bayern.

Schalke, now in the second tier, finished runners-up in 2017-18, with Dortmund coming second four times and Leipzig twice in that time.

Other than Bayern, Leipzig and Dortmund — both Champions League regulars — have performed best in Europe’s premier competition.

Leipzig made the Champions League semi-finals in 2019-20 and Dortmund are through to the last four this season.

Speaking with AFP and other media on Thursday, Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko said his side were raring to go.

“I always look at each game like it’s my last.

“But in this situation, you know what you’re playing for. For me, it’s not even pressure, it’s more motivation.

“In the week before that game, it’s really hard to wait.”

Leverkusen have already won the Bundesliga title and will look to keep their unbeaten record intact when they host third-placed Stuttgart on Saturday.

Xabi Alonso‘s side have just four games to go to become the first to go through a Bundesliga season without losing.

Bayern host Eintracht Frankfurt and will seek to avenge the 5-1 drubbing they suffered in December.

The loss was Bayern’s first league defeat of the season, after which the cracks in outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel’s side were laid bare.

One to watch: Benjamin Sesko

Still in his first season with the club, RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has found form, scoring in each of his past three matches.

The 20-year-old Sesko, who moved from sister club Red Bull Salzburg, said he needed time to adjust to the speed of the German league.

“I had to get used to the level. I think I’m getting better and better,” said the Slovenia international.

“The speed of the game is very fast. Your movement has to be different… all this kind of stuff comes together in the end.”

Key stats

80 – Champions Bayer Leverkusen have 80 points with four games remaining. The all-time record, set by Bayern Munich in 2012-13, is 91.

0 – No team has ever gone through a Bundesliga season unbeaten.

17 – Despite winning their first match since October with a 2-0 victory over Cologne on Saturday, Darmstadt have just 17 points and could be relegated this weekend.

Fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Bochum v Hoffenheim (1830)

Saturday

Augsburg v Werder Bremen, Freiburg v Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt, RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen v Stuttgart (1830)

Sunday

Borussia Moenchengladbach v Union Berlin, Mainz v Cologne (1530), Darmstadt v Heidenheim (1730)

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Leipzig Into Top Four As Xavi Simons And Lois Openda Slay Cologne

admin — Sat, 16 Mar 2024 03:10:54 +0000

A goal and an assist from Xavi Simons and a Lois Openda brace helped RB Leipzig thump Cologne 5-1 away on Friday to leapfrog Borussia Dortmund into the top four. Simons produced yet another masterclass as Leipzig’s attacking fulcrum in midfield while showcasing his understanding with fellow summer arrival Openda, who lifted his league goal tally to 19 this season. Simons, who laid on two goals in a 6-0 procession when these teams met earlier in the season, now has 11 assists and seven goals in 25 games this season.

Simons joined Leipzig on a season-long loan in summer from parent club Paris Saint-Germain.

Leipzig have been increasingly reliant on the Dutchman this season, with coach Marco Rose saying this week he was “very optimistic” the 20-year-old would stay beyond the season.

Leipzig defender David Raum, who was named in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad on Thursday, told DAZN: “Of course it was fun in the end, but it was hard work.

“We didn’t take our chances in the first half but in the second half we did — and you can see what potential we have when we do.”

The three points could prove crucial as Leipzig duke it out with Dortmund for the final Champions League spot.

Dortmund, now two points behind Leipzig, can retake their lead with a win when they host sixth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday.

“A very good away performance. We scored some nice goals, some very nice goals,” said Rose.

Fresh from winning two in a row for the first time this season, Leipzig brought the energy early and hit the lead after 15 minutes through Simons.

Simons finished off a sublime short passing move, with Dani Olmo laying the ball onto Benjamin Sesko who found the goalscorer.

Cologne hit back just three minutes later when Sargis Adamyan turned in a corner at the far post.

Openda’s 26th-minute strike was ruled out for offside but the Belgian broke through midway through the second half, tapping in a perfect Simons pass.

Openda scored again just four minutes later, heading in a floating Raum chip for his 19th league goal of the season.

“At training sometimes he bangs them over the fence and into the forest but today he put it in perfectly,” Raum said after the match.

Amadou Haidara blasted in a low shot to add a fourth with 20 minutes remaining before Yussuf Poulsen, subbed on for Openda, added a fifth.

Cologne’s loss, their 14th in 26 games this season, leaves them in the relegation play-off spot and seven points from safety with eight games remaining.

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Real Madrid ‘Suffer’ In Leipzig Draw To Reach Champions League Quarters

admin — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 04:04:03 +0000

Real Madrid scraped through into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 1-1 second-leg draw against RB Leipzig on Wednesday, progressing 2-1 on aggregate. The record 14-time champions were far below their best but did just enough over the two legs of the last-16 clash to edge out their Bundesliga opponents. Despite Leipzig shading the game, Vinicius Junior opened the scoring in the 65th minute after being set up well by Jude Bellingham. Willi Orban quickly levelled for the visitors but they could not find a second goal to force extra-time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team suffered and did not approach the game well mentally.

“We played badly, with little intensity, with worries … the psychological aspect conditioned our game a lot,” Ancelotti told Movistar.

“We played against an opponent with quality, who had nothing to lose, and we had the brakes on from start to finish — we suffered, but the important thing was to get to the quarter-finals.”

Ancelotti warned his players before the game they needed to be at their best to progress and showed his cautious side by playing four midfielders behind Bellingham and Vinicius.

The Italian brought Aurelien Tchouameni forward into defensive midfield, also deploying Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Toni Kroos, as he looked to protect the 1-0 first-leg lead.

However Ancelotti’s gameplan stunted Madrid’s own attacking game without completely stifling Leipzig’s.

“It was not our best day, but we have to be happy because the objective is complete,” Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez told Movistar.

“When things don’t go as you want, you have to battle, to fight, to play games like today’s that make you grow and learn.”

The German side had the better of the first half, albeit without carving out clear chances until just before the break.

Andriy Lunin palmed away a strike from Xavi Simons, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, while Lois Openda rifled a shot into the side netting.

Ancelotti shifted back to a more typical set-up for the second half, introducing Rodrygo at half-time for Camavinga.

It opened up the game at both ends and Vinicius began to have more influence after a quiet first half — albeit not always for good. The Brazilian was booked for barging Orban in the back and then shoving the Leipzig captain.

‘So tough’

Vinicius’ frustration quickly turned to joy though when Bellingham burst forward, showing superb timing to release the forward, who fired into the top corner at the end of a smart counter-attack.

Toni Kroos started the break and despite being outnumbered, Bellingham and Vinicius showed their decisive quality to send the hosts ahead.

Madrid’s delight was short-lived though, with Orban levelling just three minutes later.

The Hungarian defender’s excellent diving header from David Raum‘s cross set up a gripping denouement.

Madrid striker Joselu, on as a substitute, sent a tame effort at Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi before Dani Olmo hit the woodwork.

The former Barcelona youth player’s lob dropped on to the crossbar and out of play as thousands of Madrid fans held their breath.

Europe’s most crowned side were taken to the wire on a nervy night by Marco Rose’s side, only founded in 2009, but steeled themselves and held on to progress.

“If you add the 180 minutes up, we clearly had the better chances — I don’t know how they scored today,” Leipzig defender Benjamin Henrichs told DAZN.

“We played so well and it’s so tough that we’re out.”

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Bayern Munich’s Thomas Tuchel Gamble To Face Immediate Test Against RB Leipzig

admin — Fri, 23 Feb 2024 05:22:29 +0000

Struggling Bayern Munich’s shock decision to part ways with coach Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season will be put to the test in Saturday’s clash with RB Leipzig. On Wednesday, Bayern announced Tuchel would leave the Bavarian capital in the summer, seemingly staking out a middle ground between firing the coach immediately or pledging to stick with him despite poor recent results. The Bayern bosses made the call after Sunday’s 3-2 loss to Bochum left them eight points behind Xabi Alonso‘s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, with 12 matches to play this season.Â

Bayern hopes the announcement will galvanise their star-studded squad, many of whom reportedly fell out with the coach.Â

Bayern have already set their sights on Alonso, who played for three seasons in Munich, as Tuchel’s replacement.Â

The Tuchel announcement will allow Bayern to up their pursuit of the in-demand coach, continuing their tried and tested approach of strengthening themselves by weakening a direct rival.Â

Alonso on Thursday told reporters he had “nothing new to say” about the rumours, saying it was “not the right time for me to talk about” the future.

Whether or not they secure Alonso’s signature, Bayern will hope conjecture around the coach’s future will destabilise Leverkusen’s push for a first-ever Bundesliga crown.Â

Given Leverkusen’s history — the club endured the unwanted moniker ‘Neverkusen’ having lost a Champions League final and finished runners-up five times in the league — Bayern’s approach has a shot at success, but the stakes are high should it backfire.Â

A poor result against Leipzig could kick-start a slide, rendering Tuchel a lame duck in his final months, particularly if Bayern are eliminated in the last 16 of the Champions League, where they trail Lazio 1-0 after the first match in Rome.Â

Many of the players publicly criticised by Tuchel, including midfielders Joshua Kimmich, Leon Goretzka and Konrad Laimer, are unlikely to suddenly warm to the coach just because they know he is headed out the door.Â

While Borussia Dortmund are generally considered Bayern’s main challengers, Leipzig have caused the champions more problems in recent seasons.Â

Bayern have only won four of their past 11 encounters with Leipzig and have not beaten them in the league since February 2022.Â

Champions League regulars since their promotion in 2016, Leipzig sit in fifth place, one point behind Dortmund, and will be desperate for points.Â

Leipzig forward Dani Olmo told the Bundesliga website on Thursday “it is always special. Bayern of course are the opponents that motivate us.”

“For us and for me as a player it motivates me a lot, always.”

One to watch: Dani Olmo (RB Leipzig)

Bayern Munich will be all too familiar with the exploits of RB Leipzig forward Dani Olmo, who scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 demolition in the Supercup in August.Â

Olmo spent much of the season on the sidelines with injury but has returned to help Marco Rose’s side secure a top-four spot.Â

“I would say it was a perfect game from all of us and for me individually, to score three goals there in Munich and win a Cup trophy,” Olmo said Thursday of his hat-trick.Â

“But of course we have to keep going. Football does not stand still and now we have another chance to play at the Allianz.”

Key statsÂ

0 – No team has ever gone through the Bundesliga season unbeaten. Bayer Leverkusen have 18 wins and four draws from 22 matches this season, with 12 still remaining.Â

1 – Promoted last season, Werder Bremen have lost just one of their past nine games, keeping the seventh-placed side on track for a return to European football for the first time since 2010-11.

11 – Dortmund’s Niclas Fuellkrug has scored 11 goals so far this season, including six in his past five games. He’s the first Dortmund player to hit double figures since Erling Haaland left.

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Bayer Leverkusen v Mainz (1930)

Saturday

Union Berlin v Heidenheim, Werder Bremen v Darmstadt, Stuttgart v Cologne, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bochum, Bayern Munich v RB Leipzig (1730)

Sunday

Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim (1630), Augsburg v Freiburg (1830)

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Julian Alvarez And Jeremy Doku Strike Late To Push Manchester City Past Leipzig

admin — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 03:52:16 +0000

Julian Alvarez and Jeremy Doku came off the bench to grab late goals and push Manchester City to a 3-1 victory at RB Leipzig in the Champions League on Wednesday. Facing Leipzig in the competition for the third straight year, City dominated from the start, Phil Foden slamming in the opener after some impressive lead-up play from teenage wing-back Rico Lewis. Clearly outclassed in the first half, Leipzig struck back immediately after half-time, Lois Openda scoring after a sweeping counter attack to equalise.

But with Leipzig focused on talisman Erling Haaland, who scored five in 60 minutes the last time these sides met, it was the Norwegian’s understudy who scored the crucial goal, curling in City’s second just five minutes after being introduced.

Doku sealed the win with a goal in injury time.

City forward Foden praised Alvarez’s “magical” goal, telling TNT sports “he’s someone we look to for the big goals.”

“He came on and changed the game. He’s a really important player for us.”

City boss Pep Guardiola praised his “perfect” side, saying “we took the game with a lot of passes and when a team is able to do this, very nice things are going to happen to you.”

“We played a fantastic game in all departments.”

City came into the game after two losses in a row for the first time since January.

Guardiola told the post-match press conference the victory put his team’s recent struggles “in perspective”.

“People say ‘oh, you lost a game, what happened?’ but you need to put it in perspective, after what we’ve won in the last years, we’re still here and we have got this passion.”

Leipzig manager Marco Rose called the result “a deserved win for City, even if we would have wished to defend that 1-1 until the end.”

“We’ll continue to learn from the best.”

Foden and Lewis impress

Bullish in the first half of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with German champions Bayern Munich, Leipzig were timid in the opening half, repeatedly losing the ball on the rare occasions City gifted it to them.

Foden and Lewis terrorised Leipzig down the right flank, the two linking for the opener 25 minutes in.

Lewis found an onrushing Bernardo Silva, who played it back for the 18-year-old to find Foden, who hammered the his shot into the grass, the ball looping past ‘keeper Janis Blaswich and into the net.

City showed their quality, cutting through the stagnant Leipzig defence, Haaland going close twice while advancing from the left to close the half.

Rose made no changes to his stuttering side at half-time but Leipzig emerged a different team, drawing level just three minutes after the break.

Yussuf Poulsen threaded a pass to a sprinting Openda, who kept City’s Manuel Akanji at bay with one arm while squeezing his shot in off the post as a frustrated Guardiola kicked the turf, cupping his face in his hands.

With Leipzig happy to sit and counter and City equally happy to control possession, Foden looked the most likely, and he nearly caught out Blaswich with a free-kick that bounced back off the crossbar.

Foden was replaced with 11 minutes remaining by Alvarez and the Argentinian World Cup winner would prove crucial, collecting a pass from fellow substitute Doku and unleashing an inch-perfect shot into the top corner.

Doku got a goal of his own as the clock wound down, finishing off a City counter to seal the win for the visitors.

The victory was City’s first in three attempts in Saxony, having drawn and lost in previous visits to Leipzig in the past two Champions League campaigns.

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Harry Kane Penalty Helps Bayern Munich Snatch Draw At Leipzig

admin — Sun, 01 Oct 2023 03:06:48 +0000

Bayern Munich came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at RB Leipzig on Saturday as Harry Kane kick-started a second-half revival to prevent a first league loss of the season. Leipzig were 2-0 up and cruising at half-time thanks to goals from Lois Openda and Castello Lukeba, but Kane converted a penalty early in the second half to give his side hope. The goal, Kane’s eighth in six league appearances since moving from Tottenham, had the desired effect, spurring Bayern on and Leroy Sane equalised shortly afterwards.

Bayern slipped to third, two points behind unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, and captain Joshua Kimmich lamented his side conceding “dumb goals” while coach Thomas Tuchel said: “In the first half, we weren’t even here.”

“The reaction in the second half was good,” Tuchel said, “and it was necessary.”

Leipzig boss Marco Rose said his side had he better chances to score and said the win “showed we belong” among the top teams in the league.

Just a day before the match, Leipzig fired sporting director Max Eberl, who had been heavily linked to a move to Munich, saying the former Bayern defender had shown a “lack of commitment” to the Saxony club.

Bayern invited the hosts into the game early, goalkeeper Sven Ulreich roaming well out of his box and scuffing a pass to Emil Forsberg, but the Sweden international’s long-range shot drifted just wide.

The home side did not have to wait long however, Openda latching onto a superb long pass from Xaver Schlager to score his fourth league goal of the season.

Leipzig extended their lead shortly after through Lukeba, who slammed in a rebound from a corner for his first goal since moving from France in the summer.

Tuchel made two changes at half-time to ignite his lethargic squad, who pulled one back from the penalty spot through Kane after VAR detected a Leipzig handball.

Bayern drew level shortly after, Musiala carrying the ball up the middle of the park and laying off to Sane, who stroked the ball into the bottom corner.

Bayern’s Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting had a chance deep in injury time but headed directly at the goalkeeper, meaning the sides split the points.

Leverkusen roll on

Earlier on Saturday, Leverkusen continued their blistering start to the season, winning 3-0 at struggling Mainz to go top of the table.

Leverkusen, who dropped their only points in the league this season in a 2-2 draw at Bayern, took the lead after 18 minutes as wing-back Jeremie Frimpong forced Mainz defender Sepp van den Berg into an own goal.

Dead-ball specialist Alejandro Grimaldo doubled Leverkusen’s lead with a pinpoint free-kick before Germany winger Jonas Hofmann scored a third to round out another win.

“It’s a lot of fun. Everyone pats you on the shoulder and tells you how nice the football looks,” said Hofmann.

Hofmann toasted his team’s “extreme potential” after Leverkusen’s best start to a league season in their history, but said “it’s important to stay humble.”

Union Berlin’s poor start to the season continued, losing 1-0 away at promoted Heidenheim after a second-half goal from Jan-Niklas Beste.

Beste’s free-kick deflected into the net midway through the second half, consigning Champions League participants Union to their fifth consecutive defeat in all competitions for the first time since 2004.

“There are going to be phases like this. It’s up to us to get out of it,” said Union captain Christopher Trimmel.

Surprise package Stuttgart continued their remarkable rise this season, winning 2-0 at Cologne thanks to a brace from Deniz Undav.

Stuttgart, who needed to win a relegation playoff against Hamburg last season to stay up, sit second having won five of six matches.

Wolfsburg striker Jonas Wind scored both goals to help his team to a 2-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt and now has seven of his team’s nine league goals this season.

Elsewhere, a double from Alassane Plea earned Gladbach their first win of the season, a 3-1 victory away at Bochum.

Florian Neuhaus opened the scoring for the visitors and Plea added two by half-time, before Bochum’s Anthony Losilla pulled one back.

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