Several lineup changes are possible: RB heads to Munich with confidence

Despite Bundesliga club RB Leipzig’s two recent victories—against Eintracht Frankfurt and PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League—head coach Martin Demichelis isn’t ruling out rotating players in several positions for Saturday’s top match against FC Bayern Munich (6:30 p.m./Sky). The coach plans to use the feedback from the final training session to determine the best possible lineup. “We’ll analyze the training, talk to the players, observe their body language, and sense and feel their energy,” said the RB coach.

RB Doesn’t Want to Be “Devoured”

To avoid walking into a trap against Bayern and, as the Argentine put it, being “devoured,” a return of Nicolas Seiwald to the defensive midfield position is certainly possible. Maxime Estève, as an additional defender with strong heading ability, could also be an option.

The Saxons want to play their own game at the Allianz Arena as well. “We have to try to make it a difficult game for Bayern,” said Demichelis, who doesn’t want to build a defensive wall, however. “I’m not a fan of the five-man back line,” said the coach. It offers no guarantee that problems won’t arise over the course of 95 minutes. Simply sitting back, hoping there won’t be a penalty kick, and eventually kicking the ball forward is not RB’s philosophy. “We’ll try to stick to our structure and win the ball back through high-pressing. We’ll try to be compact and aggressive at the back and create chances up front,” Demichelis emphasized.

Most recently, a 1-11 goal deficit against Bayern

Last year, the season opener in Munich went completely awry with a 0-6 loss, followed by a crushing 1-5 defeat at home. A 1-11 goal difference in two games—RB is out for redemption. “If we give 100 percent, we can beat anyone and hopefully come home with three points. We have good team spirit and trust each other,” said Brajan Gruda, who scored the winning goal in Leipzig’s 1-0 victory in the Champions League in Eindhoven.