After overcoming the results crisis, RB Leipzig are ready for the long-distance duel with Borussia Dortmund for the final Champions League place. "We have results now," said coach Marco Rose after the comfortable 2-0 win over bottom club Darmstadt 98 on Saturday. "I like the way we're taking on tasks and we have to continue on that path. But we don't actually have enough points for what we're playing. We want to get back into the Champions League, so we have to win."
Since Stuttgart are showing no weaknesses, fourth place in the table will probably go to Dortmund or Leipzig. Before the matchday, the two teams were separated by one point. Leipzig's next opponents are relegation candidates Cologne and Mainz.
"There are fewer and fewer games and every point is very important. We've now won two Bundesliga games in a row and are back where we want to be," said striker Yussuf Poulsen. The cup winners had only won two of their first seven games this year, squandering a six-point lead over Dortmund in the process. The clash will take place at the end of April on matchday 31.
Eljif Elmas made an unfortunate debut in the starting eleven. The North Macedonian put in a solid performance and even had a great chance. Nevertheless, it was over at half-time. "I was also surprised. He said he didn't feel well," said Rose. Christoph Baumgartner, who came on as a substitute for Elmas, scored the final goal in the 50th minute.
Elmas obviously still needs patience until he is a regular in Leipzig. "We know what kind of footballer Eljif is and what he can do. If he had felt better, he would have been even better," said Rose. Elmas had moved to Leipzig from SSC Napoli for €23 million in January.
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