RB Leipzig must rebuild defense after Baku injury

Just before the knockout match in the DFB Cup, Ole Werner has to rebuild his showpiece back four. National team player Ridle Baku is out for RB Leipzig's round of 16 tie against second division bottom side 1. FC Magdeburg this Tuesday (21:00/Sky). According to the head coach, the full-back suffered an ankle injury in the Gladbach game.

Lukas Klostermann or Kosta Nedeljkovic could now be an option for the back four, confirmed Werner, who expects a strong opponent: "Magdeburg have stood for a certain type of soccer for many years and have a lot of technically strong players". Apart from the 3-0 win against Nuremberg, FCM have not been as effective in front of goal recently. "But it's a team that can pose problems for a first division team," emphasized Werner.

His professionals also see it that way. "It's a cup game, anything can happen, the rules are different and yet we're playing at home. Our clear aim is to progress," said full-back Nicolas Seiwald and defender Willi Orban emphasized: "It's a cup game, you can't afford to make any mistakes."

Defense currently RB's showpiece

The defense is currently RB's showpiece. There have already been six clean sheets in the league. Coach Werner praises the joint effort, as the attacking players are also doing the dirty work. "We're often so good defensively and concede so few goals because everyone helps to defend. That's certainly something positive that you can take with you," said Werner, who was more concerned with the offense in the goalless draw in Gladbach, where "accuracy and penetration were lacking in the final third".

Those were actually the problems for Magdeburg, who scored three goals for the first time this season in the 3-0 win over Nuremberg thanks to a brace from Mateusz Zukowski and Maximilian Breunig - after one goal in three games and three defeats. In total, they have only scored 13 goals in 14 games this season.

"There's no need to describe the importance of the win. A lot of weight has been lifted from us and the fans. We also played to nil. That's the way we have to go," said FCM goalkeeper Dominik Reimann, who said with regard to the game in Leipzig: "It was already the case before the last cup round that we won the league game beforehand and then the cup game afterwards. I'd like to do it that way again."

Rotation in the RB goal

In contrast to FCM, Leipzig will have a change of goalkeeper, as they did in the first two cup games. Maarten Vandevoordt will once again be in the starting eleven for Peter Gulacsi. A major rotation is not expected, as the current absences of Baku (ankle), El Chadaille Bitshiabu, Timo Werner (both muscle injuries), Assan Ouédraogo and Romulo (both knee problems) are too big for that.

The two teams will meet for the first time in the DFB Cup. There has also never been a clash in the Bundesliga or in the lower house. The previous six matches have all taken place in the Regionalliga (2010-2013). Nevertheless, RB should be warned. Magdeburg, who won 3:1 in Saarbrücken in the first round and then 3:0 at FC Illertissen, have a special cup history as the only European Cup winners of the former GDR (1974). In 2000, FCM stormed through to the quarter-finals as a lower-ranked club, beating FC Bayern and 1. FC Köln in the process. In 2017, FC Augsburg was defeated in the first round.