Demichelis Calls for an “Intelligent Game” from RB in Essen

Martín Demichelis is calling for “a smart game” from RB Leipzig against Rot-Weiss Essen in the DFB Cup. At Hafenstraße today (6:00 p.m./Sky), the Bundesliga club faces “a tough challenge—we know that for sure. We’re facing a third-division team that will give it their all in this match—that’s exactly what the cup is all about.” The coach will have to do without Maxime Estéve (contusion) and Christopher Nkunku (adductor injury).

Rot-Weiss, currently in third place in the 3. Liga, are also undefeated at home, having dropped only one point. In the first round, Uwe Koschinat’s team knocked out Bundesliga relegation side FC St. Pauli (2–0). But Leipzig, the 2022 and 2023 cup champions, is currently plagued by a road curse: they’ve lost their last five games across all competitions (4–19 goals). So far, their only away win this season came against Regionalliga side Eintracht Trier (6–0) in the first round of the cup.