It’s fair to say that RB Leipzig haven’t had the easiest of seasons thus far. To the astonishment of almost everyone, the Saxony-based club have lost all six of their Champions League matches so far and have already been eliminated from the tournament with two matchdays remaining. On the domestic front, meanwhile, Die Bullen continue to be locked in a battle for qualification for next season’s Champions League but have recently seen a sharp decline in form.
Leipzig’s quest to secure a Champions League berth for a sixth consecutive season faced its toughest test to date when they travelled to the Allianz Arena to face off against league leaders Bayern Munich. Leipzig’s slump ended up deepening as they were taken apart in a crushing 5-1 loss. Both teams scored within the first two minutes of the match - Jamal Musiala for Bayern, Benjamin Šeško for Leipzig - but after that, it was all one-way traffic.
Bayern would take a 3-1 lead into the half-time break following further goals scored by Konrad Laimer and Joshua Kimmich. Two more goals in a three-minute span after the break would follow - Alphonso Davies set up Leroy Sané who scored Bayern’s fourth before the Canadian full-back went from provider to finisher, adding the Bavarian club’s fifth goal to complete the dominant, one-sided victory.
After a strong start to their Bundesliga season, Leipzig have fallen off dramatically in recent weeks. This loss against Bayern was their second by a 5-1 scoreline in their last four league matches. In the 11 matches in all competitions that Leipzig have played since the beginning of November, they have won just three and drawn one; the rest were all losses. There can be little doubt that the mid-season break will be readily welcomed by everyone at Leipzig for the opportunity it gives them to reset heading into the second half of the season.
The main issue that’s been plaguing Leipzig over their protracted slump has to be their defense. Across the 11-match span mentioned earlier, Leipzig have conceded 24 goals. That’s a figure which when prorated across a 34-match Bundesliga season equates to 74 conceded - a figure which last season would have ranked joint third-last in the entire league. Thus far, the likes of Castello Lukeba, Lukas Klostermann, and new signing Lutsharel Geertruida have simply not been up to the mark this season. On too many occasions they have left opponents with too much of a window to create a viable goalscoring opportunity, struggled to defend set pieces, and been outplayed in many one-on-one situations - often, even those in which they had the positional upper hand at first. Without any question, this cannot continue if Leipzig are to make a serious push for a spot in next season’s Champions League.
As of right now, Leipzig’s away form has to be particularly concerning. This most recent loss to Bayern means that Leipzig have now lost five of their last six away matches - a recent victory over Holstein Kiel which snapped a road losing streak of four being the sole exception. It’s a complete reversal of what they looked like in away matches earlier in the season; the struggles of Marco Rose’s team on the road could very well end up derailing their season.
In the upcoming January transfer window, it’s imperative that Leipzig bring in the necessary reinforcements. Not one of their off-season acquisitions has moved the needle in any appreciable manner; Xavi Simons doesn’t really count as he was already at Red Bull Arena on loan from Paris Saint-Germain last season and has returned under the same terms. As has been mentioned, shoring up the defense needs to be a priority. It might also be worthwhile for Leipzig to pursue signing a central midfielder - another position where they currently lack a player who’s been performing at the level needed for them to give them that push which will help them take a step closer to ending their slump.
By no means is RB Leipzig’s season a done deal; there’s more than enough time for them to turn it around. However, they have to use the mid-season break as an opportunity to regroup and recalibrate while also getting the best out of the January transfer window. It’s a near certainty that the first month or so after the interval will make or break Leipzig’s season.
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