In the sporting and playing crisis, RB Leipzig are hoping to regain their self-image against FC St. Pauli. "We have to work on that. I also believe that it's not so deeply buried, but that we perhaps need little things like a good week of training with a few exercises that the boys also enjoyed," said coach Marco Rose ahead of the clash on Sunday (17:30/DAZN). "But of course it won't be fun alone."
Leipzig's attacking problems meet strong St. Pauli defense
With just 22 goals conceded in 20 games, St. Pauli have the second-best defense in the league. Leipzig have scored just one goal themselves in the last three competitive matches - and that was an unstoppable deflected free-kick. "There will be fewer games and accordingly we have to get back into the mode where we consistently bring our self-image to the pitch," said Rose.
In the first leg, Leipzig, who are still unbeaten against promoted teams, could not get past a 0-0 draw, followed by a 4-2 win in the cup. At the end of October, however, that was the prelude to a misery in which no game was won at all in November. Since progressing against the Kiezclub, RB have only won five games in all competitions.
Hope for a breath of fresh air without English weeks
The hope now also rests on the elimination of the English weeks, as RB failed in the Champions League. "That will and can help us," said Rose. The two new signings Tidiam Gomis and Kosta Nedeljkovic will already be in the squad. Yussuf Poulsen, on the other hand, is out injured again, with the Danish international suffering from thigh problems.
Return of Schlager after the international break
Rose is planning for Xaver Schlager after the next international break at the end of March. The Austrian, who missed a long time due to a cruciate ligament rupture, has come through the knee surgery well.
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