RB Leipzig looking forward to Poulsen and HSV

The gifts are to be distributed before and after the game - in the 90 minutes in between, RB Leipzig's coach demands full concentration on Hamburger SV with returnee Yussuf Poulsen. "I don't sense any particular rivalry," said RB coach Ole Werner, who moved to Leipzig from northern rivals Werder Bremen in the summer, ahead of the home game against HSV on Saturday (3.30pm/Sky and DAZN). "We have to look after ourselves and put in a top performance."

Of course, the return of Leipzig's record player, who has played 425 games for RB, will be celebrated. The warm-up is followed by a farewell ceremony for the striker, who moved to the promoted club in the summer. Werner, who saw Poulsen for "two or three days in Leipzig", had already had "open and honest talks" with the Danish international about the prospects in Leipzig, which then influenced the transfer.

"HSV have arrived in the league"

The coach naturally not only focuses on HSV captain Poulsen, but also on the entire team of the promoted club, which Werner believes has now "arrived in the league". With two wins, two draws and two defeats, the team of 34-year-old coach Merlin Polzin is in ninth place. Leipzig are third in the table with 13 points, five points more than their upcoming opponents.

Werner is all the more pleased that he was able to get all of his professionals back on the training pitch for the first time after the international break, apart from the long-term injuries. The twelve national team players scored a total of nine points for their selected teams and have returned to Leipzig with "predominantly positive stories, including positive personal stories".

Werner has the full selection

Werner has to choose from the players who are currently performing at their best or, like Xaver Schlager, have returned from injury, and also order players to the bench: "These are thoughts that you are very happy to have."

Werner himself not only "soaked up the sun" during the international break in Mallorca, but also set goals for the coming period. "We want to drive our development forward, score consistently and progress to the next round of the cup. All this with a clear step forward," said the 37-year-old, who has already taken a step forward himself in the upcoming duel between the youngest Bundesliga coaches: "I'm no longer the youngest."