After the last-minute defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin’s Rani Khedira (27) wants to get back on the road to success against his ex-club RB Leipzig.
Leipzig / Berlin – After the last minute defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt wants Union of Berlin Rani Khedira (27) against his ex-club RB Leipzig back on the road to success.
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Union Berlin’s Rani Khedira (27, 2nd from right) wants to get back on the road to success against his ex-club RB Leipzig. © Andreas Gora / dpa
An important factor should be the fans, of whom 13,500 will be allowed into the Bundesliga soccer club’s stadium on Friday (8.30 p.m. / DAZN) under 2G conditions.
“The last home game in the derby was not that bad. We want to build on that performance,” said the midfielder. In front of a sold out house, Union prevailed 2-0 against Hertha BSC, but lost 2-0 in stoppage time in Frankfurt on Sunday.
Now there is an opponent in RB Leipzig who has not won a league game away from home this season. Khedira is not blinded by this, however. “I was able to get to know the current Leipzig trainer Jesse (48) Marsch when he was sitting in on a winter training camp at RB,” said the 27-year-old.
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“He’s known for being poisonous against the ball and wanting to play straight forward quickly. They’re incredibly high quality. For me they’re again a candidate for the Champions League.”
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Between 2014 and 2017 Rani Khedira (27) played for RB Leipzig. (Archive image) © Jan Woitas / dpa-Zentralbild / dpa
In Leipzig, Khedira played in his RB time between 2014 and 2017 with the professionals Willi Orban (29), Lukas Klostermann (25), Marcel Halstenberg (30), Yussuf Poulsen (27), Emil Forsberg (30 ) and Peter Gulacsi (31) together.
Khedira was brought in by the then RB coach Ralf Rangnick (63). “It felt like that was the first time I heard things about pressing that you didn’t even notice. For the first time, I’m away from my family. I was able to take my first real steps in professional football.”
These steps have meanwhile taken the defensive strategist to Berlin. With Union he is even two points ahead of RB and has the chance to qualify for the Champions League. In Leipzig you could keep a direct competitor in check.
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“But we know that we have to do a lot better,” said Khedira, referring to the Frankfurt defeat. “We worked it up and try to do better on Friday.”
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