RB Leipzig has three finals after the defeat at Inter and needs luck

Milan/Leipzig. Anyone who escaped hazy, cloudy Milan this Wednesday could quickly see what was waiting for RB Leipzig: VfL Wolfsburg (Saturday, 3:30 p.m. in the Red Bull Arena). Champions League was yesterday. The 1-0 defeat at FC Internazionale Milano was far from out of our minds. Rather, the fifth defeat in the fifth game of the premier class is likely to have an impact and provide further, supporting messages for the Leipzig team.

The LVZ knows questions and some answers after this perhaps decisive game. How RB Leipzig is now getting on the right track – when taking part in three important competitions.

Where is RB at the top of European football?

A look at the UEFA XXL table reveals that RB is in 33rd place (out of 36). So where the teams all have zero points and the lower rank means elimination. A well-known message was not only on the side of the road after the fifth matchday: the table doesn’t lie.

Somehow consistent with the status quo after the trip to Italy: Inter are top, leading the list with 13 points and zero goals conceded. RB, on the other hand, does not (yet) come close to the top of Europe in terms of performance and therefore results. A ripped off team beats one that is still maturing. One that has future potential, but is currently not moving nimbly enough. Inter stood for self-confidence – and RB?

What does RB take from “San Siro”?

More than souvenir photos. Milan is beautiful but can be tough when playing against Inter these days. The 0:1 was deserved, with luck it could have been a 1:1 – with less but also a 0:2 or 0:3. Inter showed who is the boss of the house, even if they see it differently with fellow stadium users AC Milan. Dominance is a big word, but Inter underpinned it at times with their style of play, happily took Castello Lukeba’s unfortunate own goal from the first half, but didn’t put on a goal show either.

“If you give Inter the ball, they play nicely in the middle or come down the wing. They do that every week, regardless of the opponent. They have this power that they develop,” explained RB goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi. In the meantime 72:28, at the end 49:51 – the matter of ball possession and control can turn like a piece of paper.

RB left the crowds in the epic Giuseppe Meazza Stadium talking about too many technical errors – possibly also a result of a lack of self-confidence. After a flawed first half in the “San Siro”, things went better in the second half – i.e. the ball. The key to luck was to tame the ball-savvy “Nerazurri”. Whoever has the ball doesn’t have to look for control. Anyone who fights hard increases their self-confidence and lets the ball run better. But: The zero in front remained.

“We didn’t have that much penetration in the final third – that’s the supreme discipline in our own possession of the ball,” said captain Willi Orban. This is exactly what distinguishes the top teams in the world on their way to major titles. (Not) a novelty from top teams made in Italy: “They defended it well,” said the defense chief. The title candidate didn’t allow RB to have a lot of chances – while Orban and Co. had enough to do so that they didn’t concede any more as the game progressed.

The two most important messages from the Champions League trip fit on a notepad. Firstly: “I saw a team that fought back,” said RB coach Marco Rose – crucial for the rest of the way. And secondly, “It was a small step in the right direction,” said Orban.

Where does the path lead?

In any case, still to Lake Wörthersee. What the January trip to Klagenfurt will bring raises completely new questions and calculation games. One thing is clear: there are three finals waiting in the premier class without even being in the final round. The home game against Aston Villa on December 11th means final game one – without the suspended Castello Lukeba. Then Sporting Lisbon comes to Klagenfurt a week before the game at Sturm Graz.

“One goal more or less can mean a lot in the table,” said Inter coach Simone Inzaghi – and of course he was talking about the top eight, who are sure to qualify for the round of 16. However: From now on this also applies to RB, in addition to the maximum score of nine points. In this case, the saving bank means 24th place, the play-offs for the round of 16. PSV Eindhoven is currently in this position, with five points after four games. They are chasing a larger field of teams with six points, all of whom have also only played four games. Also means: RB Leipzig will also need a bit of luck if they are to get nine points after eight games.

LVZ