RB Leipzig will look to continue the strong start to the season when they take on Borussia Monchengladbach at Borussia Park on Saturday.
The 2023/24 Bundesliga season will resume on Friday with Matchday 5 of the new campaign. The action on Saturday will continue with six fixtures, including five simultaneous games to kick things off. Borussia Monchengladbach and RB Leipzig will clash at Borussia Park in one of the most eye-catching matches this weekend.
Borussia Monchengladbach would have hoped for a much better start to the 2023/24 season. The Foals have managed only two points in four games thus far, conceding a whopping 12 goals (only one team — SV Darmstadt 98 — has let in more). So, with defensive problems brewing, Gerardo Seoane has work to do with his squad.
On the other hand, RB Leipzig began the 2023/24 Bundesliga season with a defeat to the table-topping Bayer Leverkusen. The season opener came after they cruised to a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup. But Marco Rose’s men have bounced back well since the loss to Bayer Leverkusen, winning three top-flight games to rise to the third spot. They also started their UEFA Champions League campaign with a win, beating BSC Young Boys this week.
The corresponding fixture last season saw Borussia Monchengladbach cruising to a 3-0 win over RB Leipzig. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.
Team News & Tactics
Borussia Monchengladbach
👀 Take a peek inside Borussia training as we prepare to take on @RBLeipzig_EN
🎥 https://t.co/gcJ9tteOey#BMGRBL pic.twitter.com/ycR3mdGWOe
— Gladbach (@borussia_en) September 22, 2023
Gerardo Seoane has a few pressing roster issues hampering his preparations ahead of his side’s latest fixture. Against RB Leipzig on Saturday, the Borussia Monchengladbach manager might be bereft of the services of as many as five first-team players.
Stefan Lainer (illness) and Jonas Omlin (shoulder) will play no part in the fixture. Meanwhile, Seoane is sweating over the fitness of Manu Kone (knee), Christoph Kramer (knee), and Tomas Cvancara (foot) ahead of Saturday’s game.
Moritz Nicolas is the goalkeeper for Borussia Monchengladbach, and he should take his spot between the sticks. The home side will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation in front of the German shot-stopper.
Joe Scally and Maximilian Wober should be the two full-backs. While Wober will remain compact at the back, Scally will often charge forward to support the attackers. Meanwhile, Nico Elvedi and Ko Itakura should form the central defensive unit.
As for the midfield unit, Florian Neuhaus and Julian Weigl are automatic picks in the double pivot in the absence of Kone. The duo will look to keep things tight in the middle of the park, with the former initiating quick transitions from deeper positions.
Rocco Reitz will pull the strings in the final third, with Alassane Plea and Nathan Ngoumou taking up the wide-attacking slots. Finally, Jordan Pefok will spearhead the Borussia Monchengladbach attack against RB Leipzig on Saturday.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Nicolas; Scally, Itakura, Elvedi, Wober; Weigl, Neuhaus; Ngoumou, Reitz, Plea; Jordan
RB Leipzig
Like his counterpart in the Borussia Monchengladbach dugout, Marco Rose has a few issues to deal with ahead of the trip to Borussia Park. The RB Leipzig manager will be without as many as four first-team players on Saturday.
But there is some good news, as Lukas Klostermann has recovered from an illness. Meanwhile, El Chadaille Bitshiabu (knee), Willi Orban (knee), Amadou Haidara (calf), and Dani Olmo (knee) remain on the sidelines due to their respective injuries.
Janis Blaswich should retain his spot between the sticks, with Silva taking his time to put Peter Gulacsi back into the team. Meanwhile, RB Leipzig will line up in a 4-2-2-2 formation in front of Blaswich on Saturday.
ℹ️ Squad update:
Lukas Klostermann has returned to training.
Christoph Baumgartner coped well against Young Boys and is an option for the game in Mönchengladbach.
Amadou Haidara is being eased back into training, but it is still too early for him to play in Saturday's game… pic.twitter.com/MH58To6FHT
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) September 22, 2023
Benjamin Henrichs and David Raum will be the full-backs, with the duo supporting the attackers. They will provide width in the final third, with the attacking midfielders taking up central areas. Meanwhile, Mohamed Simakan and Castello Lukeba should form the central defensive partnership.
As for the midfield unit, there is no looking past Kevin Kampl and Xaver Schlager. The duo has forged a solid partnership in the middle of the park and will look to keep things tight in the centre of the pitch.
Xavi Simons is one of the most in-form players in the early days of the 2023/24 Bundesliga season. The Dutchman is one of the first names on the team sheet at RB Leipzig. And he will join Emil Forsberg, Lois Openda, and Yussuf Poulsen in the final third. So, Benjamin Sesko and Timo Werner will find themselves on the bench.
Probable Lineup (4-2-2-2): Blaswich; Henrichs, Simakan, Lukeba, Raum; Schlager, Kampl; Simons, Forsberg; Openda, Poulsen
Key Stats
- Borussia Monchengladbach have won their last three home games against RB Leipzig, having lost the first four.
- Borussia Monchengladbach are winless four matches into a Bundesliga season for the first time in eight years.
- RB Leipzig have won three of their last four away Bundesliga matches dating back to last season, only losing to Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 1 of 2023/24.
- Borussia Monchengladbach have conceded 12 goals in the Bundesliga thus far this season. They had only let in more after four matches in the 2010/11 campaign (15). Meanwhile, only SV Darmstadt 98 have seen more strikes bulge their net in the Bundesliga this term (13).
- Xavi Simons is currently second in the Bundesliga for total goal contributions thus far in the 2023/24 season (seven), behind VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy (eight).
Player to Watch
Xavi Simons
Xavi Simons joined RB Leipzig on loan from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer transfer window. It was a window of opportunity for the Dutchman, who enjoyed an excellent 2022/23 campaign at PSV Eindhoven. And he had a point to prove at the Red Bull Arena.
The 20-year-old has taken to the Bundesliga like a fish to water, scoring and assisting goals for fun. There is perhaps no player on song quite like him in the German top flight right now. And Marco Rose will hope Xavi Simons can continue his purple patch, as he fills Christopher Nkunku’s void at the club.
Prediction
Borussia Monchengladbach 1-3 RB Leipzig
Borussia Monchengladbach’s recent form against RB Leipzig has been positive. But the Foals have been horrendous in the early days of the 2023/24 season. So, considering one of the worst defences in the league will meet one of the best attacks, multiple goals will be on the cards.
Unfortunately for the hosts, they will see the visiting bulge their net more than they do on the opposite end. But they should find a way past Janis Blaswich, although it will only be a consolation goal. The Hard Tackle predicts a 3-1 win for Marco Rose and his charges.