The premier class is calling! Led by star striker Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig bravely shook off the European Cup blues and shot their way into pole position in the Champions League race ahead of the season finale.
Despite initial difficulties, the runners-up won impressively 4-0 (1-0) against FC Augsburg on Sunday. And this just three days after he was bitterly eliminated in the Europa League semi-finals at Glasgow Rangers.
With the win, RB, who had to tremble for the premier class ticket after two league defeats, jumped back to fourth place in the table before the 34th matchday. Nkunku (48’/57′) shone with his 19th and 20th goals of the season, while Andre Silva (40′) put Leipzig on course in the first half. Emil Forsberg (64./foulelfmeter after video evidence) also cheered later.
Tedesco rotates
With 57 points, RB is two points ahead of Fifth SC Freiburg. At the season finale next Saturday (3:30 p.m. / Sky), Leipzig and Breisgau, who also meet in the DFB Cup final on May 21, will face off in a long-distance duel for fourth place. RB travels to relegation candidate Arminia Bielefeld, SC to Bayer Leverkusen.
After the sobering trip to Scotland during the week, RB boss Oliver Mintzlaff was confident about the premier class in the “Sport1 double pass” on Sunday. “I am convinced that we will make it,” he said. Coach Domenico Tedesco changed four positions. Forsberg, who had been on the bench for 90 minutes in Glasgow, started among others.
Augsburg is putting pressure on, RB is slowly waking up
But the guests made steam at the beginning. After just twelve seconds, Augsburg’s Mads Pedersen was allowed to volley in the penalty area, RB goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi fended off a corner. The hosts were alarmed and struggled to find their safety through possession. Leipzig rarely attacked the depths as dangerously as they did in the sixth minute, when Silva stumbled a cross from Nordi Mukiele completely free.
In this phase, Augsburg hardly invested any energy in their own attacks and RB came through better. In the first 45 minutes, however, the Saxons generally lacked consistency on the offensive before the ball landed at Silva after a chain of unfortunate defenses by Augsburg: the Portuguese shot from 18 meters to give the lead. And after the break, Nkunku and Co. really turn up the heat.
First, Mukiele broke through into the penalty area and staged Nkunku, who only had to push in. The 3:0 fell almost congruently. Again the advanced Mukiele passed to Nkunku and the France international remained ice cold.
If Silva (61st) then had the chance to increase and just missed, Forsberg aimed more precisely. After Mukiele fell from a corner, referee Bastian Dankert pointed to the penalty spot according to the video images – and Forsberg safely scored on the bottom left.