Come on, Leipzig!
The next home match in the Red Bull Arena is on Saturday (3:30PM CEST). We’ve won our most recent duels against Union Berlin. We’re unbeaten in the Bundesliga for 13 games across last season and this one. We want to extend this streak along with you.
A lot went on at Union during the summer. The Berlin side have a new head coach, a new sporting manager and several new players. Here’s all you need to know ahead of Matchday 3.
The Top Scorer List*
RB Leipzig
- Lois Openda (3 goals)
- Antonio Nusa (2 goals, 1 assist)
- Benjamin Sesko (1 goal, 2 assists)
- Xavi (1 goal, 1 assist)
- Kevin Kampl (1 goal)
Union Berlin
- Benedict Hollerbach (1 goal, 1 assist)
- Laszlo Benes (1 goal)
- Yorbe Vertessen (1 goal)
* after three matchdays
Back to the roots
After Union Berlin signed several well-known players last season, such as Robin Gosens, Leonardo Bonucci and Kevin Volland, the club, under its new sporting director Horst Heldt, strengthened their squad in the summer mainly with players from Bundesliga 2 teams, something which has worked well for them in last seasons.
Signings:
- Carl Klaus (Goal / 1. FC Nürnberg)
- Tom Rothe (Defender / Borussia Dortmund, was on loan at Holstein Kiel)
- Leopold Querfeld (Defense / Rapid Vienna)
- Laszlo Benes (Midfield / Hamburger SV)
- Robert Skov (Midfield / free agent, before at TSG Hoffenheim)
- Woo-yeong Jeong (Midfield / VfB Stuttgart, loaned)
- Ivan Prtajin (Attack / SV Wehen Wiesbaden)
- Andrej Ilic (Attack / LOSC Lille, loaned)
A few hours before the end of the transfer window, Robin Gosens bid the Steelers farewell after just one year. The winger is now on loan for AC Florence in Serie A. With Robin Knoche (1. FC Nürnberg) and Aissa Laidouni (Al-Wakrah SC, Qatar), two other pillars of the past years have left the club.
Other Departures:
- Mikkel Kaufmann (Attack / 1. FC Heidenheim)
- Morten Thorsby (Midfield / Genoa CFC)
- Jakob Busk (Goal / Sönderjyske)
- Brenden Aaronson (Midfield / Leeds United, end of loan)
- Tymoteusz Puchacz (Defense / Holstein Kiel, was loaned out to Kaiserslautern)
- Jamie Leweling (Midfield / VfB Stuttgart, was already on loan)
- Alex Kral (Midfield / Espanyol Barcelona, on loan)
- Chris Bedia (Attack / Hull City, on loan)
- Paul Jaeckel (Defense / Eintracht Braunschweig, on loan)
- Lennart Grill (Goal / Eintracht Braunschweig, on loan)
My idea is to make things more variable
Pressing the reset button
A new sports director in Horst Heldt, a new head coach in Bo Svensson. The signs were pointing towards a fresh start at Union during the summer, after having to wait until the final minute of the season to secure a spot in this season’s Bundesliga.
Bo Svensson at his presentation in the summer: “It’s about maintaining the good things that Union has shown over the years. But I’m coming with new eyes, I have certain ideas about how I want to play football.
Union has mastered some areas of the game very well: compact defending, a cohesive team performance, the physical style, the strength of set pieces. We will keep that. My idea is to make things more variable.
The club from Köpenick had a successful start under their new Danish head coach. Like us, Union is still unbeaten after the first three competitive games (2 wins, 1 draw).
Bo Svensson’s playing philosophy
- Higher pressing, more ball recoveries
- Stiff tackling in direct duels
- Acting instead of reacting
- 3-4-3 formation with two wide attackers
Big names missing in Leipzig
It’s an anniversary week for Marco Rose! Last Sunday, the Leipzig native celebrated his two-year anniversary as head coach of the Red Bulls. Tuesday marked the anniversary of his first game as RBL coach: a 3-0 home win against BVB.
On Wednesday he celebrated his 48th birthday. With an average of 2.04 points in the Bundesliga, Marco is our most successful coach in the top flight of German football. Against Union we will unfortunately have to do without him, as he will be suspended after being sent off last match.
Our captain Willi Orban, who is currently serving a two-game suspension, will also be missing. RB Leipzig has appealed against the ruling again, the outcome is still pending.
Willi was shown the red card shortly before the end of the Bundesliga opener against Bochum for a last-man tackle. Our defense chief will be eligible to play again against St. Pauli on Sunday, September 22nd at the latest.
You can find an overview of our current personnel situation in our Squad Update.
Union Berlin players missing:
- Josip Juranovic (ankle injury)
- Kevin Volland (knee injury)
- Ivan Prtajin (muscle pain, possibly available)
Union Berlin’s last starting lineup (1-0 vs. St. Pauli)
Rönnow – Doekhi, Vogt, Diogo Leite – Haberer, Tousart (68. Schäfer), Khedira (C), Rothe (89. Querfeld) – Hollerbach (78. Skarke), Jordan (88. Jeong), Vertessen (68. Benes)
Goalscorer: Benedict Hollerbach