Aspiring performances without yield have been a recurring pattern in Leipzig’s games against top teams this season. Against a personnel-shaken Dortmund without“Wild Card” Haaland, RB coach Jesse Marsch wants to finally reward himself.
Bayern, Manchester City, twice PSG – the list of games against top European teams in Leipzig is long. However, they have only picked up one point in all four duels so far. “It’s a pity that we didn’t get the points,” Marsch comments on the meagre yield in the games against top teams so far. “The performances against these teams were getting better and better. Especially recently against PSG, we showed more and more of what I think is important for the club,” the US American praised his team’s progress in these duels.
Only the return is missing. According to Marsch, one can talk about ups and downs in the results – to which he has a clear opinion in view of the effort put in by his team: “It sucks.” But he says his team can use this difficult phase to “grow together more”. That is his idea of leadership. If they can do that, they can use the momentum after the strong performance against Paris and aim for victory against BVB. This is “a must for our group. We want to get a win against a top team.”
Dortmund lacks the “wild card “
The absence of Erling Haaland, a “wild card” (O-Ton Marsch) in Dortmund’s game, who could conjure up a dangerous action out of nowhere, plays into the 47-year-old’s cards. But even without the Norwegian top striker, BVB has many qualities, according to Marsch: “They are still a good switching team, have a lot of quality up front, even if they are not as goal-threatening without Haaland.” Due to numerous absences, BVB do not have so many options at the moment, but with players like Marco Reus, Donyell Malen and Julian Brandt, they still have a big task ahead of them defensively.
This would be due in part to Marco Rose, “a friend”, whom Marsch praises in the highest terms: “He is a top coach and top person. He has a good coaching team and is very intelligent football-wise, which is why he can put a lot of basic orders and ideas on the pitch and BVB is very flexible this season.” Against a team “that can kick” and has super footballers and young players, the Leipzig coach therefore expects “a super game”.
Flexibility against breakdowns
For the time being, Marsch is leaving his approach open. Lukas Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg are still out, captain Willi Orban also has to sit out due to a strain. These are serious absences in Leipzig’s defence, but Marsch praises the young substitutes: “The way they have played so far has exceeded my expectations. Thanks to the flexibility of Leipzig’s defensive players, “we can play with a three-man or four-man backline,” said Marsch, who can still call on Angelino and Benjamin Henrichs in the outfield positions.
No matter who is ultimately on the pitch: Against BVB, who Marsch considers to be on a par with the top opponents so far this season, his team should finally be rewarded in a top match: “Now is the time to show our best performance of the season. We are excited to show our best in front of a full house with more confidence.” He added that the full house, which could also fill the standing-room-only stand rebuilt before this season for the first time in Leipzig, could be a decisive factor in this: “I have seen the ‘Yellow Wall’ several times in Dortmund. We will put up our ‘red wall’ tomorrow.” Whether the Leipzig fans will create an atmosphere similar to that of Dortmund’s famous south stand remains to be seen. For Marsch, at any rate, it is clear what he wants to offer the spectators: “Bring everything together and win against a top team. “
