Berlin – Big chance for Borussia Dortmund, last chance for RB Leipzig: While BVB can already open the gate to the knockout round of the Champions League on Tuesday against Ajax Amsterdam, RB reaches for the last straw at the same time. In Paris, after the false start in the premier class, only one victory helps against the starting group around Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe.
Dortmund, on the other hand, can get a “big point” after two victories in a row against the table leaders Amsterdam with the same number of points. Coach Marco Rose warned against cockiness. “We know what is rolling towards us. We must by no means let the exchange of blows get out of hand, ”demanded the coach before the game for first place (9pm / Amazon Prime).
With a win, Dortmund could better control the burden
Emre Can emphasized that the goal was “to win”. Because: The winner is as good as through with nine points from three games – and he can control the load better in the bone mill of the English weeks. “Ajax, Bundesliga, Cup, Bundesliga, again Ajax, Bundesliga,” Rose enumerated, “that will be really demanding. If I could paint it, we’d win in Amsterdam – but unfortunately that’s not a ‘make a wish’. ”They need one thing in particular: exceptional striker Erling Haaland, who played 90 minutes against FSV Mainz 05 (3: 1) on Saturday had to stand in the field for a long time.
The Dutch record champions have also noticed that this was not the plan. “If I had the choice, I would prefer that he not be there,” said Davy Klaassen, a former Bremen resident. Rose must disappoint him: It is not time to spare his outstanding player. Haaland “always wants” anyway, said the coach. The 21-year-old himself said on Twitter before the evening steak with french fries that he was “doing very well”.
With the leaders of the Eredivisie, the Norwegian can simply shoot out his break himself. With the round of 16 in mind, there would be plenty of opportunities for regeneration in the DFB Cup against second division club FC Ingolstadt (October 26) or in the Ajax second leg (November 3) and the other top-class duels. Anyway: “My players are looking forward to playing against Haaland,” said Ajax coach Erik ten Hag. He probably didn’t ask Davy Klaassen.
BVB will definitely have to drag some personnel worries through the English weeks. “At some point the wheel is over-turned and you come into a spiral where it is difficult to add more in certain positions,” said Rose. “But we have to go through that now without complaining.” Left-back Raphael Guerreiro and U21 national striker Youssoufa Moukoko will at least still be absent in Amsterdam, Gio Reyna and Mahmoud Dahoud probably too, defense chief Mats Hummels has been scratching the limit for weeks.
RB Leipzig cannot hope for a sparing of the PSG stars, but at least: Neymar is out with adductor problems. Coach Jesse Marsch already has a plan for the game in Prinzenpark (9pm / DAZN): “We have to be very good in one-on-one situations against Messi and Mbappe and defend hard,” he said on Monday. If this does not succeed, the third bankruptcy in the third premier class game could hardly be prevented and the round of 16 pure utopia.
And indeed there are some arguments in favor of this. “We have to perform very well as a team to have a chance,” said RB captain Peter Gulacsi. Leipzig has only been really good in a few cases recently. It was only on Saturday that RB won the league at SC Freiburg with a lucky 1-1.
Leipzig makes too many mistakes
The reason: a serious slump – this time in the second half. Again and again, the Leipzig make outrageous defensive mistakes that could cost them head and neck against PSG. The wild 3: 6 at Manchester City at the start of the Champions League was symbolic of the problems, before the second game against the underdog FC Bruges was lost 2: 2 due to bad mistakes.
Messi and Mbappe are just waiting for similar invitations. “It will be a difficult task. Paris were such a good team without Messi, ”said Marsch.