Champions League
Last minute goal seals the end: Leipzig also loses against Villa
Updated 12/10/2024 – 11:12 p.mReading time: 3 min.
For a long time it looked as if RB Leipzig could retain a remaining chance of progressing in the Champions League.But a late goal meant the end.
Now it is indeed a bitter certainty: Bundesliga club RB Leipzig will be eliminated from the Champions League in the league phase. After five defeats from the first five games, Leipzig also lost against aston Villa 2:3 (1:1). Since Real Madrid won 3-2 at Atalanta Bergamo in the parallel game, Leipzig’s exit is sealed.
Misfortune for the Saxons began early on when John McGinn gave Villa the led in the third minute. loïs Openda was able to somewhat surprisingly equalize in the 27th minute. A similar picture after the break: Johno Durán gave the English the lead again (52nd minute), but Leipzig equalized after a strong combination by Christoph Baumgartner (62nd).
The hosts were lucky twice that Aston Villa’s goals were not counted due to offside positions. Then Ross Barkley made it 2-3 in the 85th minute, just at a time when Leipzig was the stronger team. The home team rebelled again in the last few minutes,but missed the equalizer.
Simultaneously occurring, things were going better for another Bundesliga team: Bayer Leverkusen won 1-0 against Inter Milan with a late goal in the 90th minute.
After a decent start,RB striker Benjamin Šeško (1st) missed early from a good position and quickly played onyl Villa.After Matty Cash’s cross, there was general confusion in the Leipzig defense; no one felt responsible for Ollie Watkins, who passed it to McGinn before the Scot slotted in easily. And the guests continued to press.
Watkins (8th) narrowly missed a sharp cross from Lucas Digne – and thus the second goal – in the six-yard box. RB seemed far too passive in this phase and gave up space too easily. There was also little going forward at first, but when Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez completely misjudged a long ball from Seiwald and rushed far out of his goal, Openda struck coldly. The compensation from nothing.
Even though Leipzig now got into the duels a little better, Villa remained extremely perilous and looked for depth. Cash (35th) tested RB keeper Péter Gulácsi from a distance, but aimed too centrally at the Hungarian. RB repeatedly revealed gaps in the defense, which the English exploited with through passes. After one of these, Watkins (44′) appeared in a half-right position in front of Gulácsi, who though parried the shot.
At half-time, Villa team manager Unai Emery brought on Durán for Watkins in attack. And the substitute immediately ignited. Becuase he saw that Gulácsi was too far in front of his goal, he shot from around 20 meters – and scored. After the new striker had his second goal called back for offside just seven minutes later, RB unexpectedly struck back again. After a long ball, Openda found Baumgartner, who shot in with a direct shot.
However, Durán, the Colombian whirlwind, didn’t give up; after his assist, Digne (73′) forced Gulácsi to make a brilliant save. Barkley was lucky with his deflected shot to make it 3-2. Martínez could not be defeated.
the German champions are also causing a sensation in the Champions League and can hope for a direct entry into the round of 16 of the premier class. A week after the cup coup at FC Bayern, Bayer Leverkusen also made an international impact and defeated Inter Milan, who had previously been undefeated in the competition, 1-0 (0-0). With 13 points, the Rhinelanders are in the top group of the field of 36.
In front of 30,210 spectators in the BayArena, Nordi Mukiele scored the winning goal for the hosts in the 90th minute. Bayer thus inflicted the Italians’ first defeat and thier first goal in the current competition.
How can RB leipzig improve their performance in future international tournaments based on their recent campaign?
Title: A Bitter Exit: Analyzing RB Leipzig’s Champions League Campaign
Interviewer: Welcome to time.news. Today,we’re diving into RB leipzig’s disappointing campaign in the Champions League,were they faced early elimination after a dramatic 3-2 loss to Aston Villa. Joining me is football analyst,Dr. Emilia Fischer, who specializes in European football dynamics. Thank you for being here, Dr. Fischer.
Dr. Fischer: Thank you for having me! It’s always tough to dissect a team’s struggles, especially one as talented as RB Leipzig.
Interviewer: Indeed. Let’s start with the match against Aston Villa. Leipzig seemed to have chances to at least draw the game, but ultimately fell short. What do you think where the critical moments in that match?
Dr. Fischer: There were definitely pivotal moments. the early goal by John McGinn for Villa put Leipzig on the back foot immediately, which is always challenging. Though, credit to Leipzig—Loïs Openda managed to equalize. That showed resilience. But again, conceding another quick goal right after equalizing in the second half truly sapped their momentum.
Interviewer: Right,that must be particularly frustrating for the players and fans alike. Leipzig equalized twice but could never take the lead. What does this suggest about their mental fortitude?
Dr.Fischer: It reflects a struggle with confidence. When a team equalizes, they frequently enough gain a psychological boost. Though, each time leipzig clawed back, they immediately lost the momentum again. This indicates not only pressure from the opposing team but also a possible mental block within Leipzig. When you’re on a losing streak like theirs, it’s tough to shake off that negative cycle.
Interviewer: With this loss,Leipzig has now recorded five defeats in their first five Champions League games. Given the team’s potential,what do you think went wrong during the group stage overall?
Dr. Fischer: Several factors come into play here. The group was undoubtedly tough, but Leipzig has repeatedly struggled with consistency.Their defense has been shaky, as we’ve seen in multiple fixtures. Additionally, they seemed to lack a cohesive strategy against pressing opponents, particularly when trying to transition from defense to attack. perhaps there was also an underestimation of teams like Aston Villa, who brought their best on a big stage.
interviewer: How do you see this impact the future of RB Leipzig? Could this early exit affect their performance in the Bundesliga?
Dr. Fischer: It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand,elimination can create pressure,which could possibly impact morale. On the other hand, it might focus the team on their domestic campaign. They need to use this as a learning experience to galvanize their efforts in the league. If they can correct their defensive mistakes and build on the attacking play shown in spurts during this campaign, they should be able to recover.
Interviewer: What would you consider to be the key to RB Leipzig’s revival going forward? Are there specific areas they need to address in training?
Dr.Fischer: Absolutely. For starters, they need to work on their defensive institution. This includes better communication and positioning among defenders and midfielders. Offensively, they must improve their finishing and develop a more varied attacking play. They have creative players; it’s about maximizing their potential and turning those chances into goals. Mental resilience training could also be beneficial to help them cope with pressure situations moving forward.
Interviewer: Dr. Fischer, thank you for your insights. It’s always intriguing to explore the psychological and tactical dimensions of football.We hope to see Leipzig rise stronger in their future matches!
Dr. Fischer: Thank you! It will certainly be interesting to watch how they adapt and respond.The football world is never short on surprises!
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End of interview.