Marco Rose would like to fulfill Emil Forsberg's every wish in what will probably be his last home game. The RB Leipzig coach has also given the 32-year-old Swede a guarantee that he will play, but not from the start. The head coach is sticking to his guns for the important Bundesliga match against TSG 1899 Hoffenheim this Saturday (18:30/Sky).
"We had an intense Champions League game two days ago, in which Emil played almost 75 minutes. We have another important game on Tuesday," said Rose on Friday: "Emil will definitely be on the pitch. We'll see when and how, but he'll be on the pitch."
At the same time, he recalled his own departure from FSV Mainz 05. "The city has become a second home for me, just like it was for Emil Leipzig. My daughter was born in Mainz, you get to know and appreciate the people there and achieve many things with the club. But the most important thing is that you've created something, left your footprints and can always come back with a good feeling - there's a lot left, in both directions," emphasized Rose.
After nine years, Forsberg will leave the Saxons in the winter and move to sister club New York Red Bulls. Official confirmation is now only a formality. This means he will play his last home game at the Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
"Somewhere along the line, you develop a feeling for this phase of your life, getting out of your comfort zone, experiencing something new, that's how I felt at the time," said Rose, showing understanding for the change in his exceptional player, who scored Leipzig's first goal in the Champions League in September 2017. Last Wednesday, he scored again in the final group game against Bern to give RB victory in the top flight. With eleven goals in the Champions League, he drew level with Christopher Nkunku, who moved to Chelsea FC in the summer.
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