Jesse Marsch has a healthy level of self-confidence, and that has suited him in the past few days. It didn’t bother him that the team he coached, RB Leipzig, had the important 5-0 victory at Club Bruges in the Champions League in his absence, of all places. On the contrary.
His goal is for his teams to come to terms without a coach, said Marsch on the eve of the game against Bayer Leverkusen. That shouldn’t be so understandable in Germany, “because hierarchy is so important here,” speculated the American. On the trip to Belgium he was absent due to a Covid infection, and he was not yet tested on Sunday. And so he had to watch on the TV screen how his team lost 3-1 against a tactically fine-tuned Leverkusen team. From this game the question arose whether the victory in Bruges had only been a mirage.
Co-trainer Achim Beierlorzer sent the same eleven players onto the pitch against Leverkusen who had so impressed in Bruges. That everything was different this time could be seen from a persona. Bryan Brobbey made his Bundesliga debut – and was apparently replaced in the 43rd minute. Because Brobbey didn’t seem injured, it worked like a punishment for not getting into the game. Only: That was hardly the reason why it was already 2-0 for the guests when Dominik Szoboszlai was sent onto the field in front of silent stands. Because of the high number of infections in Saxony, the game took place without a spectator.
Szoboszlai puts a hand penalty on the post
The goals conceded had more to do with the fact that Leipzig had a defensive disorder that had been observed more often this season. The Leipziger pressed with intensity and will. But what was seen after the opponent had won the ball seemed quite confused. The Leverkusen-based company is different: They carried out drawing board-like attacks, such as in front of their gates.
Leverkusen’s wonderful Florian Wirtz, who had been pursued in vain by RB left-back Angeliño, shone with the first goal when he entered the penalty area after a beautiful pass from Exequiel Palacios (21st). At 2-0, Moussa Diaby (34th), who had presented and completed a long ball from Jonathan Tah himself, was not significantly disturbed. Goalkeeper Josep Martínez, who represented Peter Gulacsi, who was also infected with Covid, had no chance at either goal.
After the break, Leipzig increased the pressure and came to dangerous deals from a distance through Konrad Laimer and Emil Forsberg. But the attacks by Leverkusen, which continued, looked more thought-out. In the 62nd minute, André Silva headed a corner to make it 1: 2. But before Leipzig could find hope, Jeremie Frimpong scored to 3-1, whereby he was lucky that Angeliño deflected the ball. Diaby hit the post (72nd), and when the game rolled out, Szoboszlai hit the post with a hand penalty (88th). Leverkusen moved up to third place, Leipzig is four points behind the Champions League places. That is not enough for the demands of last year’s second.