The cup final was still far away for Domenico Tedesco. With good reason, the RB Leipzig coach did not want to know anything about Berlin after just qualifying for the Champions League. Because his team doesn’t seem ready for the title at the moment.
“We still have a few days left,” said Tedesco after the happy 1-1 (0-0) at relegated Arminia Bielefeld, which secured fourth place for Saxony and thus renewed qualification for the European premier class with their money pots.
Almost defiantly, Tedesco only wanted to talk about it and not about the DFB Cup final against SC Freiburg next Saturday. “Now we’ve reached the Champions League for the first time,” said the 36-year-old with a serious expression. “Now we’re looking forward to it – everything’s fine. It’s great, great.”
RB coach tense on the sidelines
Cursing and wildly gesticulating, Tedesco kept running along the sidelines and sometimes even onto the field during the game against the limited but game-determining and above all passionate Arminians.
Even after the game and the happy equalizer by Willi Orban’s header in the third minute of added time, his scream and grim facial expression did not match the “pure joy” he allegedly wanted to express. As always, Tedesco gathered his highly paid staff on the lawn of the Bielefelder Alm.
Emil Forsberg did not want to reveal what was said there either. “It doesn’t give a fuck now,” said the Swede. Unlike Tedesco, the prospect of the final in Berlin made Forsberg happy and smile all the time. “It’s just a game where everything is at stake. The cup final is something very special. We’ll do our best,” he promised.
RB should do that too, because recently this did not appear to be the case. Fourth place somehow seemed to have been secured on the last rim. Ironically, at the end of the season, the form of the Brause team was clearly pointing downwards.
Performance increase is needed
RB lost three of the last six competitive games, was eliminated against the staid Glasgow Rangers in the Europa League semi-finals and narrowly escaped another bankruptcy on Saturday.
Tedesco Leipzig took over eleventh place from Jesse Marsch at the end of 2021 and brought him on track. Despite the performance dip in May, RB is the best second half team in the league.
“We can be proud. The first six months weren’t easy. We did very well after the winter break. Then we brought our potential and our quality to the pitch,” said Forsberg. However, the words did not fit the performance on Saturday at all. Maybe that’s why Tedesco was sour. Champions League qualification or not: an increase in performance is needed by Saturday.