Munich/Leipzig/dpa/ukr – Sports director Marcel Schäfer from RB Leipzig has promised personnel activities for the winter transfer period after the heavy end-of-year defeat at FC Bayern Munich. This particularly applies to the defense, where national player Benjamin Henrichs is now at risk of being out in the long term.
The 27-year-old full-back seriously injured his foot in the Saxons' 1:5 defeat in the top Bundesliga game in Munich on Friday evening in the last action after the first diagnosis and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.
Orban sees a need for action on the defensive
“As always, we strive to strengthen the team if it makes sense for us both from a sporting and economic point of view,” said Schäfer in the Allianz Arena with a view to the winter transfer market. Then he added more specifically: “We also have to see how we react to Benny’s failure.” There was talk of a possible rupture of the Achilles tendon after an action without the opponent's influence.
In the first half of the season, Leipzig was badly hit by injuries. Captain Willi Orban therefore sees a need for action. “We are relatively thin at the back,” said the defense chief. Transfers are “not my job, but we’ll look into it,” said the central defender, taking those responsible for the RB team to task.
“Recharge your batteries, mentally and physically”
Since the Leipzig team will only be involved in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup in the new year after being eliminated from the Champions League, personnel changes are only likely to be made selectively. Transfers only make sense if players are brought in who can also help in the future. Coach Marco Rose had indicated before the game that they were looking for alternatives in the attacking midfield and left-back positions.
“We are behind what we imagined,” said Schäfer when summing up the first half of the season. “We are on the way in the DFB Cup,” he said about the title chance in the cup competition.
Orban addressed the “many injured and resistance” in the first half. “We have already come together,” he said to deal with the autumn crisis. In the Bundesliga, the connection to the Champions League places was established. After the “clear, deserved defeat” in Munich, the short winter break is now about “recharging your batteries, mentally and physically”.
