First title is approaching: Brilliant Nkunku books Leipzig’s European semifinals

First title is approaching
Brilliant Nkunku books Leipzig’s European semifinals

04/14/2022, 8:39 p.m

At least one club continues to represent Germany on the European football stage. RB Leipzig made it into the semi-finals of the Europa League with a strong game at Atalanta Bergamo. Christopher Nkunku impresses again as a double goalscorer.

Domenico Tedesco took a moment before letting his emotions run free. After a controlled smile and a respectful handshake with fellow coach Gian Piero Gasperini, the RB Leipzig coach approached his players and hugged them warmly. The dream of the title is alive: Thanks to double goalscorer Christopher Nkunku, RB Leipzig stormed into a European Cup semi-final for the second time in its young club history. Coach Domenico Tedesco’s team won the quarter-final second leg of the Europa League at Atalanta Bergamo 2-0 (1-0) and thus made it into the top four. There, the Saxons meet the Glasgow Rangers. The first leg a week ago in Leipzig ended 1-1.

“The key was our switching moments after winning the ball,” said Tedesco. Captain Peter Gulacsi also enthused: “We closed the spaces and defended well up front.

Nkunku (18th) with his opening goal after a perfectly performed counterattack caused great cheering for the Leipzigers, who have now been unbeaten for 13 competitive games in a row. He got the penalty kick (87th) shortly before the end himself. In the second half, RB was initially lucky when the Spanish referee Antonio Mateu Lahoz did not award a penalty after a handball from Dani Olmo and a minute-long video view (50th).

In the semifinals, the Saxons meet the winner of the duel Glasgow Rangers against Sporting Braga. However, central defender Willi Orban is suspended in the first leg. Two years ago, RB had reached the semi-finals in the Champions League.

Tedesco demands improvement, his team delivers

Leipzig started in front of around 20,000 spectators in the Gewiss Stadion with almost the same starting XI that had revealed some weaknesses in the first leg. Only Mohamed Simakan replaces Lukas Klostermann in the three-man defense. Tedesco had demanded beforehand that he accept the fight against the “machines”, as he called the physically robust Italians, who played man marking almost the entire pitch: “We have to improve, otherwise it will be difficult.”

The home side got off to a better start, however, who went into the duels with a little more determination and had their first good scoring opportunity through Davide Zappacosta after five minutes. But RB keeper Peter Gulacsi was on the post. After about a quarter of an hour, RB also woke up – and was rewarded with the opening goal. After a strong preliminary work by Konrad Laimer on the right Nkunku completed.

This hit worked. The Italians, who initially only sat on the bench with Luis Muriel, who had dominated the first leg as a goalscorer and was a constant source of trouble, were no longer quite as determined. RB was more secure defensively and was able to free himself from the pressure better. With the best outside conditions, with temperatures around 20 degrees and a perfectly manicured pitch, Leipzig felt better and better as the game went on.

After the change of sides, the table eighth in the Italian Serie A increased the pressure again and the game became much more hectic. However, the Leipzigers were largely in order and repeatedly tried to counterattack and were dangerous in the process. Laimer (55th) and Nkunku (68th) had the 2-0 on their feet.