Leipzig's rays challenge Madrid: a 60 million attack, a revelation, white defeat in 2022…
A little over a year ago, Real Madrid suffered its first defeat of the 2022-2023 season at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig.. It was the fifth day of the group stage of the Champions League and there were just a few weeks left before the break for the World Cup in Qatar. And there, in Germany, a land so often cursed for the white team, Carlo Ancelotti's team began a small crisis of results that continued with a draw against Girona at home and a defeat in Vallecas against Rayo. Results that handed the leadership of the League to a Barcelona that would not let go until winning the title in June.
And to Leipzig, where one day they suffered, Real Madrid will return in February for the first leg of the Champions League round of 16, whose draw paired them with the young and electric German team. The team led by Marco Rose has established itself as one of the best clubs in the country. They have lifted the German Cup and Super Cup in recent months, were third in the last Bundesliga behind Dortmund and Bayern and are third in the current one, following in the wake of Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern.
And in Europe his rookie status is beginning to not weigh on him and each year that passes he has more stripes than the previous one.. They reached the semifinals of the Champions League during the pandemic and this year they have been second in a group with Manchester City, Young Boys and Red Star. A logical position if we take into account their rivals, but it had Guardiola's team on the ropes both in the first leg and in the return leg.. In Germany the match was not decided until the 84th minute, when City scored 1-2 to end up winning 1-3 with their rival going for the tie, and at the Etihad the English suffered a lot to turn the score around 0 -2 initial that the Germans got. They ended up overcoming Openda's two goals to win 3-2 and secure first place with a goal from Julián Álvarez in the 87th minute, but Leipzig showed that they are no longer the Cinderella of years ago.
The defeat in Germany in the group stage and the fight against City this year are a clear warning for Madrid, which will go into the first leg at the Red Bull Arena (February 13) with its defense in deep trouble.. To the injuries of Courtois and Militao we must add that of Alaba, who will miss the season, so it will be Rüdiger and Nacho who will start, barring another injury, on German soil.. That's taking into account the uncertainty of Carvajal and Mendy, with usual muscle problems.. All against a squad that has lost its three stars but has replaced them with players who are already a reality in German and continental football.
From Nkunku to Openda
Leipzig have sold Croatian defender Gvardiol to Manchester City, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool and striker Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea. Two of the three scorers in the 3-2 against Madrid in October 2022. That day Nkunku confirmed himself as a world star and in February it will be Lois Openda who will try to discover herself before the world. The 23-year-old Belgian forward arrived at Leipzig this summer from Lens in exchange for 43 million, becoming the most expensive signing in its history, and he is performing accordingly.. He has 14 goals in 24 games and forms a dangerous duo with Benjamin Sesko, a 20-year-old Slovenian attacker who also landed last summer, in his case from Salzburg, for 24 million.
Behind, more youth and more talent. Dani Olmo, now injured in his shoulder, will be in the round of 16 and will form the midfield with Xavi Simons, one of the Bundesliga's revelation footballers. The former Barça and PSG youth player signed for Leipzig after an extraordinary year at PSV, and has already scored 6 goals this season. In defense, Rose's team spent 30 million on Lukeba, Lyon's central defender, but it seems to be their weakest line. At a choral level, Madrid can expect physicality, verticality, talent and youth, a combo as innocent as it is dangerous in a round of 16.