Status: 01/24/2023 8:24 p.m
The game was practically decided after 15 minutes: RB Leipzig didn’t give FC Schalke a chance in the Bundesliga in their own stadium. In the 6:1 (4:0) on Tuesday (January 24th, 2023) in Gelsenkirchen, the bottom of the league made an effort, but was too vulnerable defensively, too harmless offensively and could be happy that the result was not significantly higher.
Schalke’s coach Thomas Reis caused a surprise in his starting XI: striker Simon Terodde, who had been seeded in the first half of the season, had to give way to newcomer Michael Frey. According to Reis, he wanted to ensure better start-up behavior and counter-pressing, but Frey almost exclusively saw the action from a safe distance – almost everything took place in the Schalke penalty area.
In the 7th minute, it took revenge for the first time that the cover of the “Royal Blues” had moved up very far: Leipzig’s starting eleven comebacker Timo Werner stumbled the ball during a counterattack, but André Silva then took it spontaneously and carried it from 18 meters straight to the left corner.
Only shortly before the break got serious again
At Schalke it was noticeable that Reis had required courage and a quick transition to the front, but the poor passing game was always an invitation for the guests to counterattack. What was particularly astonishing was how few players Schalke had behind the ball: Leipzig was constantly outnumbered in the attacks. This was punished for the second time in the 15th minute when “Königsblau” collectively sleepwalked when thrown in by RB – Benjamin Henrichs was able to finish effortlessly after a combination via Dani Olmo and Dominik Szobozlai.
Even after that, the “squires” didn’t learn anything, they could only be lucky that Silva, Werner and Konrad Laimer missed a number of top chances. Only shortly before the break did the “Bulls” get serious again: After Cédric Brunner lost the ball, Alxeander Schwolow slapped an Olmo shot forward, Silva dusted off to make it 3-0 (44th minute). The next assist also went to Olmo, whose low cross Werner used before the break to make it 4-0. Seconds later, the national player should have added the fifth goal, but he headed wide.
Loud whistles and early changes
The Schalke fans said goodbye to their team with loud whistles in the catacombs, Reis also reacted and after Dominick Drexler (45. +3) brought two more newcomers to the restart with Mehmet-Can Aydin and Andreas Ivan. The effect was palpable, on the field and in the stands.
The hosts put Leipzig under pressure at times, put pressure on, attacked with more consistency and also scored goals. RB, on the other hand, let the reins slip significantly and made positional mistakes such as those made by Josko Gvardiol and Marcel Halstenberg in the 56th minute: After Frey’s through ball, Soichiro Kozuki prevailed against the two national players and scored to make it 1:4. The fans were immediately there again and almost celebrated the 2:4: Aydin’s brilliant long-range shot went just centimeters over the target (64th).
Leipzig is decreasing – but hits fantastically
The people of Leipzig meanwhile limited themselves to the administration mode. The pace, the willingness to run and the duel dropped more and more drastically, but the promising Frey just missed the 2:4 (74 th ) after Marius Bülter’s cross, after which the Rose team pulled themselves together a bit.
The difference in individual quality was then made clear by the goal of the evening: With a magnificent lob from the right corner of the penalty area into the left corner of the goal, Olmo submitted his application for goal of the month in the 83rd minute. It wasn’t the end of the humiliating evening: Yussuf Poulsen flicked the ball into the far corner in the 89th minute to make it 6-1.
Leipzig against Stuttgart at the weekend
At the start of the 18th matchday, RB Leipzig welcomes VfB Stuttgart (Friday, January 27th, 2023 at 8:30 p.m.). Two days later, Schalke also plays at home against 1. FC Köln (3:30 p.m.).
Source: sportschau.de