RB Leipzig will look to make it three wins in a row when they resume their Bundesliga campaign after the international break against unbeaten Union Berlin.
Union Berlin secured their first win of the Bundesliga campaign before the September international break, and they will now look to build on it when they hit the road to square up against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
The home team started the new season with a hard-fought 1-0 win over VfL Bochum. While they had more of the ball, they were not clinical enough in the final third. However, they displayed a lot of character to end Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run in the Bundesliga.
Despite not having enough of the ball and only creating a handful of chances, Leipzig ended up winning 3-2 on the night and they will be eager to build on it against Union Berlin.
The visitors kicked things off with a 1-1 draw against FSV Mainz. It was an evenly contested fixture where they got the result they deserved. In their second outing against FC St. Pauli, they hardly had the possession but still managed to come out on top with the smallest of margins (1-0).
The team from Berlin will look for a similar result, but they will have to put up a much-improved performance to claim points from this fixture against RB Leipzig. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could deploy.
Team News & Tactics
RB Leipzig
Willi Orban remains suspended for the home team, while Xaver Schlager and Assan Ouedraogo are both out injured. The home team will go ahead with the 4-4-2 formation, which will be more of a 4-2-2-2 when they will have control of the ball.
Peter Gulacsi will feature in goal, while Benjamin Henrichs will take charge on the right flank and David Raum on the left. The full-backs will look to support Lukas Klostermann and Castello Lukeba, who will feature in the heart of the defence.
Christoph Baumgartner and Xavi Simons will provide the width of their attacks. Kevin Kampl and Amadou Haidara will feature in a central role. They will look to control the tempo of the game. In attack, the dangerous Lois Openda will pair up with Benjamin Sesko who remains on the wishlist of Arsenal.
Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Gulacsi; Henrichs, Klostermann, Castello, Raum; Baumgartner, Haidara, Kampl, Xavi; Openda, Seko
Union Berlin
The visitors will be without the services of Josip Juranovic and Kevin Volland, who are both out injured. Yannic Stein will be unavailable for selection, while Ivan Prtajin is a major doubt for this fixture.
Union Berlin will line up in a 3-4-3 formation, with Frederik Rønnow in goal. Danilho Doekhi will start alongside Kevin Vogt and Diogo Leite in the heart of the defence.
Christopher Trimmel and Tom Rothe will take charge as the wing-backs for the away team, while Rani Khedira and Lucas Tousart will start in the centre of the park. The duo will look to ensure Leipzig do not dominate the ball.
Benedict Hollerbach and Yorbe Vertessen will feature out wide on the flanks, while Jordan Pefok will be leading the attack for the team from Berlin.
Probable Lineup (3-4-3): Ronnow; Doekhi, Vogt, Leite; Trimmel, Khedira, Tousart, Rothe; Hollerbach, Jordan, Vertessen
Key Stats
- RB Leipzig and Union Berlin have squared up against each other 15 times across all competitions. The home team have won eight out of those fixtures.
- RB Leipzig won both home and away against Union Berlin last season.
- Six out of the last eight matches between the two teams have ended with a scoreline of 2-1.
- The home team have been unbeaten in their last 13 Bundesliga games with nine wins to their name.
- The visitors have only won two out of their last ten league outings.
Player to Watch
Xavi Simons
Simons had an exceptional 2023/24 season on loan at Leipzig, and he is now gearing up for his second and final season at the German club. He did start the season in a sensational way with a goal and an assist in their DFB-Pokal opener. But, the 21-year-old is yet to contribute towards a goal in the Bundesliga, and he will be eager to get off the mark against Union Berlin.
Prediction
RB Leipzig 2-1 Union Berlin
Given the kind of start Leipzig have had in the new season, it will be very hard for Union Berlin to stop the home team. They might have won in their last outing, but it is unlikely to go their way this time out. The team from Berlin do not have enough depth to take down Leipzig. The Hard Tackle predicts a 2-1 win for the home team.