The Bundesliga check, part 3: RB Leipzig. The Saxons want to use the momentum of the cup victory – especially since the best stays for a year.
Football Germany did not collectively cheer when RB Leipzig bolstered their claims with their first title on May 21. The DFB Cup victory against SC Freiburg should now change the DNA of the whole club. At least that’s how coach Domenico Tedesco sees it.
RB Leipzig: How strong is the squad?
The motto at the performance center in Cottaweg is unchanged: end up among the best four teams. The Brauseklub employs a Champions League squad of exquisite quality. But that often falls by the wayside. In terms of personnel costs (for all employees, mind you), Leipzig (169 million euros) are very far away from FC Bayern (373 million) and a bit far from Borussia Dortmund (215 million). In this respect, their cost-income statement has been decent for years. In contrast to Hertha BSC. It goes without saying that the beverage company from Austria is still partly financing the overall structure.
RB Leipzig: What does the coach like?
Tedesco sharpened his profile with the first title. He finally managed to win the cup, which first Ralf Rangnick and then Julian Nagelsmann failed to do. “What I can feel right away is that winning the cup has done something for the club,” said the 36-year-old in “kicker”. The employees would now walk around in the corridors with a smile. The players should also take the positive feeling with them. Tedesco would like to make the Leipzig game even more flexible, the attacks should be more purposeful. He also says: “A lot of what happened with the ball was good.” The pressing needs to get better.
arrivals and departures
Additions: Xaver Schlager (VfL Wolfsburg), Jonas Blaswich (Heracles Almelo), Ilaix Moriba (Valencia, loan ended), Joscha Wosz (Hallescher FC, loan ended), Brian Brobbey (Ajax Amsterdam, loan ended), Ademola Lookman (Leicester City, loan ended), Fabrice Hartmann (Eintracht Braunschweig, loan ended), Alexander Sörloth (Real Sociedad, loan ended)
Departures: Mehmet Ibrahimi (Eintracht Braunschweig, loan), Eric Martel (1. FC Köln, previously loaned to Austria Wien), Dennis Borkowski (Dynamo Dresden, loan), Frederik Jäkel (DSC Arminia Bielefeld, loan, previously loaned to KV Oostende) , Sidney Raebiger (SpVgg Greuther Fürth), Tom Krauss (FC Schalke 04, loan), Tim Schreiber (Holstein Kiel, loan), Hee-chan Hwang (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Philipp Tschauer (end of career)
Where is the problem at RB Leipzig?
In the preseason, Tedesco quickly made the switch after predecessor Jesse Marsch had confused the team quite a bit. But in the final phase, negligence crept in, and the Saxons lost their heads in the Europa League semi-finals at Glasgow Rangers, were impressed by the atmosphere and gambled away the final. This time it should go better on the international stage, progression in the Champions League is aimed for.
RB Leipzig: Who stands out?
Christopher Nkunku, of course. The Frenchman, who moved to the trade fair city in 2019, is on his way to becoming an international top star. Crazy start, great tricks and recently also a strong finish. An instinct footballer. Best Player of the Last Season. It is all the more important that boss Oliver Mintzlaff has extended the contract with the top striker until 2026. But the 24-year-old will hardly stay that long. There is an exit clause for next summer, which is 60 million euros. All sides can live with that. Especially if Nkunku also starts with France at the 2022 World Cup.
RB Leipzig: What’s in it?
Third place is realistic. It won’t be enough for the first two places. Especially if Dampfmacher Konrad Laimer should change. The Austrian is repeatedly associated with FC Bayern.
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