Schlager injured his knee again
As RBL coach Marco Rose said on Friday at the press conference before the Bremen game, Xaver was “more than questionable for the game on Sunday.” According to Rose, the 27-year-old, who was recently out for a long time due to a torn cruciate ligament, injured his knee again. “Xaver hurt himself a bit in the test match. The knee is good, but structures around it are affected.” Schlager only returned to the pitch at the end of November and was only able to play four games this season.
Xavi and Raum “are candidates for the starting eleven”
But Rose was also able to announce good personnel news. Both defender David Raum and offensive star Xavi are completely fit again. “Xavi makes a very good impression, as does David. They were able to take part in all the sessions. They are also candidates for the starting eleven,” announced the RB coach for the Bremen game.
Bremen is coming with a strong series
Bremen, seventh in the Bundesliga, is visiting Leipzig. Ole Werner’s team is only two points behind Leipzig, who are in fourth place. Before the winter break, the Green-Whites remained unbeaten in four games in a row, winning three of them. “They had a good series before Christmas, they moved up to the top of the table,” says Rose, who observed “clear processes against and with the ball” from their opponents. “They are very well-rehearsed, they play very intensely. “Bremen is the best team when it comes to offensive switching. There’s a decent amount of work ahead of us.”
Defender Baku moves to Leipzig
Rose also commented on another personal fact. About the signing of defender Ridle Baku from VfL Wolfsburg. At the time of the press conference, “we couldn’t report any completion yet, but we’re very far.” Shortly afterwards the club announced the signing. The former Mainz player signed a contract until June 2027. He could make his first appearance on Sunday against Bremen. Even then, he’s not a candidate for the starting eleven, “because he lacks the units with us and the boys here worked well,” said Rose.
RB Leipzig applied for Baku after Benjamin Henrichs tore his Achilles tendon in the game against Bayern Munich in December. Baku was a regular player in Wolfsburg, but his contract with Lower Saxony would have expired in the summer.
