The zero is there. RB Leipzig also lost to Liverpool FC in the Champions League and remained without a point after three games. The English appear like a top team and show Leipzig its limits.
Third game, third defeat: RB Leipzig continues to struggle with the new Champions League and is in a premier class crisis. Coach Marco Rose’s team lost 0-1 (0-1) against the favored Liverpool FC and now has to win at Celtic Glasgow in two weeks. Darwin Núñez (27th minute) scored the decisive goal for Liverpool, which, in complete contrast to Leipzig, now has three wins from three games.
“This is very disappointing. We are already under pressure. We still have five games, which aren’t easy either,” said Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi
Before kick-off, Rose had described Liverpool as a “board” and rated them significantly higher than previous victorious opponents Atlético Madrid (1:2) and Juventus Turin (2:3). However, his team went into the game unimpressed by the zero points and initially met the Reds on an equal footing.
After two half-baked chances by Benjamin Sesko (7th) with a header and Amadou Haidara (14th) with a long-range shot, Leipzig was even very close to taking the lead. After a mistake by LFC goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher, Sesko shot the ball from the sideline towards the empty goal, but missed by a few centimeters.
RB quickly checked that off – and celebrated the lead after 26 minutes. Loïs Openda hit the ball from the edge of the penalty area into the top left corner and was celebrated. But the Belgian international was offside when Antonio Nusa passed. What happens afterwards in such cases? Of course, the favorite scores. Liverpool only took about a minute to do so.
Leipzig can’t think of anything after falling behind
After a cross, Mohamed Salah headed the ball into the far corner, and Núñez just had to push the ball over the line. The best defense in the Bundesliga seemed completely disorganized and continued to have problems with crosses as the game progressed. Headers from Núñez (32′) and Virgil van Dijk (37′) were defused by Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi with strong saves.
Leipzig seemed stressed, Liverpool missed great opportunities. Again it was Gakpo (49th), whose shot from a few meters was blocked by a reflex from Gulacsi. The RB defense presented itself with problems with inaccurate passes and inconsistent actions. Liverpool provided relief and from now on limited themselves mainly to counterattacks.
That was enough, as Leipzig almost completely ran out of ideas on the offensive. Sesko completely dived, Openda was often sent in vain with long balls and Simons kept getting stuck with his dribbles. Liverpool acted much more thoughtfully going forward, Alecis Mac Allister (70th) hit the crossbar with a long-range shot.
That seemed to wake up Leipzig. Sesko (71′) came free after a pass from Simons, Kelleher saved in dire need. A minute later, a deflected shot from Simons went under the crossbar of the Liverpool goal, but Kelleher was there again. Rose made three changes and wanted to liven up the offensive with Christoph Baumgartner and Eljif Elmas. In the end it wasn’t enough to win the first point.
dpa/step
