RB Leipzig will look to recover from consecutive defeats when they welcome struggling Hamburger SV to the Red Bull Arena on Sunday.
Leipzig are targeting another finish in the UEFA Champions League places, while HSV arrive at the bottom of the Bundesliga table still searching for their first point and goal of the campaign.
Martin Demichelis enjoyed an excellent start to his tenure, with Leipzig beating Borussia Monchengladbach 3-0 in his first Bundesliga match after previously thrashing Trier 6-0 in the DFB-Pokal. However, that early optimism has quickly faded as Leipzig were beaten 3-1 by Werder Bremen on September 5 before suffering an even heavier 4-1 defeat to Como in their first Champions League fixture.
Those back-to-back defeats will raise questions about Leipzig’s consistency, but they have an important advantage on Sunday: home form. Leipzig have won their last six Bundesliga matches at the Red Bull Arena and have remained unbeaten at home since January. That record should provide considerable confidence against a side struggling badly for attacking production.
Hamburger SV’s second season back in the Bundesliga has been extremely difficult. After losing 2-0 to Borussia Dortmund on the opening weekend, HSV suffered an even more damaging 5-0 defeat to Mainz last time out. Most concerningly, Hamburg are yet to score a Bundesliga goal this season.
Two matches without a goal is not necessarily catastrophic on its own, but the manner of the Mainz defeat will worry Merlin Polzin. HSV currently sit at the bottom of the table, level on points with fellow early strugglers Borussia Monchengladbach and TSG Hoffenheim. The visitors desperately need to start collecting points before the gap to safety becomes difficult to overcome.
The biggest concern for Hamburg will be their inability to threaten opposition defences. Leipzig, meanwhile, have already demonstrated that they possess enough attacking quality to punish defensive mistakes. The hosts will likely dominate possession and attempt to force HSV into a deep defensive block. Leipzig’s wide players should look to stretch the visitors before creating openings centrally.
The away side’s best route to a result will probably be through disciplined defending and quick counter-attacks. However, their failure to score in either of their opening Bundesliga fixtures means they must dramatically improve their attacking efficiency. Leipzig’s recent home record is difficult to ignore as they have won six consecutive Bundesliga matches at the Red Bull Arena and have not lost there since January.
That is exactly the type of fixture in which Leipzig can use their home strength to rebuild confidence after consecutive defeats. Hamburger, meanwhile, have been beaten in both Bundesliga matches and have yet to find the net. The Hard Tackle takes a look at how both sides could line up and what tactics they might employ on the day.
Team News & Tactics
RB Leipzig
Leipzig will be without Christoph Baumgartner and Rocco Reitz, who are sidelined with hamstring and thigh injuries, respectively. Their absences leave Leipzig somewhat short of options in central midfield. Ezechiel Banzuzi is therefore expected to come into the midfield alongside Neil El Aynaoui and Nicolas Seiwald.
Leipzig should retain their 4-3-3 formation, with Maarten Vandevoordt in goal and Ridle Baku, Willi Orban, Castello Lukeba, and David Raum forming the defensive line. The midfield trio of Nicolas Seiwald, Neil El Aynaoui, and Ezechiel Banzuzi will be responsible for controlling possession and providing the platform for Leipzig’s attacking players.
Further forward, Andrija Maksimovic, Christopher Nkunku, and Antonio Nusa are expected to form the front three. Leipzig will be looking to exploit Hamburger’s defensive vulnerability early. HSV have conceded seven goals across their first two Bundesliga matches and are yet to score, so Leipzig should look to apply sustained pressure rather than allowing the visitors to settle.
The home side’s biggest concern will be restoring confidence after consecutive defeats to Werder Bremen and Como. Their excellent record at the Red Bull Arena should nevertheless provide considerable encouragement.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; Siewald, El Aynaoui, Banzuzi; Maksimovic, Nkunku, Nusa
Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV will be without Sebastiaan Bornauw, who is sidelined with a muscle injury. His absence is likely to see Jordan Torunarigha, Shafiq Bello Nandja, and Nicolas Capaldo form a three-man defensive line.
In midfield, Kofi Amoako is dealing with illness and is expected to miss out. Nicolai Remberg and Albert Sambi Lokonga should therefore continue in central midfield, with Zakaria El Ouahdi and David Moller Wolfe operating as wing-backs.
Further forward, Fabio Vieira and Albert Gronbaek are expected to play behind Patson Daka, who will lead the line. HSV will need to be particularly disciplined defensively. They have conceded seven goals in their opening two Bundesliga matches and are still searching for their first league goal of the campaign.
The three-man defence should allow Hamburger to remain compact against Leipzig’s front three, while the wing-backs will need to drop quickly when possession is lost. However, pushing El Ouahdi and Moller Wolfe forward could also provide an important outlet on the counter. Vieira and Gronbaek will have a key creative responsibility. If they can find pockets of space behind Leipzig’s midfield, they could provide Daka with opportunities to attack the channels.
Alexander Rossing-Lelesiit remains unavailable as he continues recovering from a long-term ankle injury. Hamburger’s priority will be to remain in the contest for as long as possible. Leipzig have an excellent home record, while HSV have yet to score in the Bundesliga, so avoiding an early concession could be crucial to their chances.
Probable Lineup (3-4-2-1): Heuer; Bello, Capaldo, Torunarigha; El Ouahdi, Lokonga, Remberg, Moller Wolfe; Vieira, Gronbaek; Daka
Key Stats
- RB Leipzig have won their last six Bundesliga matches at the Red Bull Arena.
- Leipzig are unbeaten at home since January.
- Hamburger SV have lost both of their Bundesliga matches this season, against Borussia Dortmund and Mainz 05.
- HSV have conceded seven goals in their opening two league games, including a heavy 5-0 defeat to Mainz last time out.
- Hamburg are yet to score a Bundesliga goal this season.
Player to Watch
Christopher Nkunku
The French forward has returned to Leipzig after previously enjoying an outstanding spell at the club, where he scored 70 goals and provided 57 assists in 174 competitive appearances. He is expected to lead Leipzig’s attack in the supplied 4-3-3, operating centrally between Antonio Nusa and Andrija Maksimovic.
That gives Nkunku an excellent opportunity to exploit a Hamburger defence that has already conceded seven goals in its opening two Bundesliga matches. Nkunku’s movement between the lines could be particularly dangerous against HSV’s three-man defence. If he can combine with Nusa and receive service from Leipzig’s midfield, he should have opportunities to influence the game.
After Leipzig’s heavy defeats to Werder Bremen and Como, this is also an important match for Nkunku and the team to respond. Recent reporting suggests Leipzig are under pressure to deliver a result on Sunday.
Prediction
RB Leipzig 3-0 Hamburger SV
Leipzig’s recent defeats make them slightly harder to trust than they would have been two weeks ago, but the home record and the gulf in current attacking form strongly favour the hosts. Hamburger SV’s lack of goals is particularly concerning against a Leipzig side that should dominate possession and create plenty of opportunities.