Bundesliga
Why Leipzig will beat Atlético Madrid
RB Leipzig kick-off their campaign in a new-look UEFA Champions League against one of the toughest opponents there is, Atlético Madrid, but Marco Rose's side have plenty of reasons to go into the tie full of optimism.
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1) Electric attack
Leipzig's 24-goal top scorer last season, Loïs Openda, has carried on where he left off by netting twice in his team’s 3-2 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Matchday 2. New signing Antonio Nusa, who made four Champions League appearances with former team Club Brugge, scored the only goal in his side’s 1-0 win over VfL Bochum on the opening weekend of Bundesliga action, which he then followed up on with an assist for Openda’s winner against Leverkusen.
The returning Xavi Simons was the man that set up Nusa for his first goal in Leipzig colours, while Openda’s strike partner Benjamin Šeško provided him with the assist for his first, and Leipzig’s second, against Xabi Alonso’s men. While Šeško is yet to open his account in the Bundesliga this season, he did score four goals in two games for Slovenia in the recent international break, including a hat-trick against Kazakhstan.
All in all, there are plenty of dangermen capable of causing mischief up front.
Watch: The best of Openda
2) Composure in midfield
The three midfield men that have started Leipzig’s first three league games have been Kevin Kampl, Nicolas Seiwald and Amadou Haidara. They provide a blend of youthful energy and experience in the centre of the park for Rose’s men, with Kampl even scoring a goal many strikers would have been proud of as he pulled his side back into the game against Leverkusen. The trio all possess incredible work rate combined with positional awareness and quality on the ball, and they’ll be difficult for Atleti's team to get through.
On the bench, Leipzig have more attacking options such as Christoph Baumgartner and young Belgian Arthur Vermeeren, who joined on loan from Atlético this summer.
Watch: All about RB Leipzig
3) Dangerous full-backs
Both David Raum and Benjamin Henrichs were a part of Germany’s EURO 2024 squad this summer, and they provide another dimension to Leipzig’s attack. Raum recorded eight Bundesliga assists last season, the second-highest tally for a defender behind Bayer Leverkusen's Alejandro Grimaldo, whilst also contributing with two goal.
Henrichs was also productive on the other flank, contributing five assists and one goal in the league; the former Leverkusen man already has his first assist of this season, setting up Kampls’s goal against his former side.
Watch: The best of RB Leipzig in 2023/24
4) Great start to the season
Rose’s men have made a flying start to the new campaign, winning their opening two Bundesliga games and drawing the third. Having finished in fourth place last year and 25 points off from champions Leverkusen, Leipzig seem determined to make up the ground this year; they beat Bochum 1-0 in their season opener before winning away against Leverkusen – their first defeat in 35 games – thanks to Openda’s double and Kampl’s first goal of the season. Their most recent result was a goalless draw at home to Union Berlin which, although they will have been aiming for three points, maintains their unbeaten start to the season.
In contrast, Atlético have had a mixed start to 2023/24, winning two and drawing two, meaning they go into the fixture against Leipzig still looking to catch form. They have kept three consecutive clean sheets, but haven’t looked at their attacking best in their previous two league fixtures against Espanyol (0-0) and Athletic Bilbao (0-1).
5) History is favourable
Now in his third season in charge at his hometown club Leipzig, Rose appears to be in his element and thriving. His teams have been an enjoyable watch, combining fast-paced attacking football with an eye on youth development, and of course results. Of the 89 games Rose has managed at the club so far the 47-year-old has only lost 19, meaning that he has averaged just over two points per game in that time.
In Europe, Rose has overseen 15 Champions League games as coach of Leipzig, winning eight, drawing two and losing five. These include draws against the likes of Manchester City and Atlético’s bitter rivals Real Madrid, with Rose and his side even beating Real 3-2 in the 2022/23 season.
Leipzig’s only previous encounter against Atlético came in the quarter-finals of the 2019/20 season under Julian Nagelsmann, when they reached the Champions League semi-final for the first time. Dani Olmo and Tyler Adams were the scorers in a 2-1 win, with current Borussia Dortmund man Marcel Sabitzer providing the assist for Olmo’s opener.