Friday April 16, 2021
Only a draw against Hoffenheim
Bayern pursuer Leipzig does not use chance
In the title race, RB Leipzig has to accept another setback. Instead of shortening the lead of FC Bayern, the team of coach Nagelsmann messes up against Hoffenheim of all places.
RB Leipzig made the next mistake in the long-distance duel with Bayern Munich and is more dependent than ever on help in the championship fight. The team of coach Julian Nagelsmann did not get past a 0-0 against TSG Hoffenheim in the evening. With that, the Saxons missed putting Bayern under pressure before their tricky task at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday. Instead, pursuers RB must fear that they will be seven points behind the record champions again after the match day.
Nagelsmann had previously won all three duels with his ex-club. But in the empty Leipzig arena, his team could hardly think of anything for half the time, then they missed the few good opportunities. Hoffenheim remains in the Bundesliga for the fifth game in a row without a win, but should book the point win at RB as a success.
For the first time since mid-February, Nagelsmann was able to rely on the bustling and goal-scoring Angeliño. The Spanish wing player had recovered from his muscle injury and, like his right-hand counterpart Nordi Mukiele, was involved in almost every attack in Leipzig. RB tried again and again to hit the high standing full-backs behind the Hoffenheim defense with long diagonal balls.
The concept didn’t work at all at first. And since TSG did not achieve much despite their star Andrej Kramaric, who was back in the starting line-up, there were two half-chances in the first half. A kick by Robert Skov (27th minute) just missed the Leipzig goal, a shot by Marcel Sabitzer (41st) from a good 20 meters missed the target on the other side. Nagelsmann had enough of the bland performance of his team and brought a new playmaker in Kevin Kampl. Tyler Adams moved to the right for Mukiele, and Amadou Haidara should provide more variability on the left wing than Angeliño. Ihlas Bebou came to Hoffenheim for the 18-year-old storm talent Georgino Rutter.
However, none of the measures initially brought more momentum into play. Leipzig played too complicated and too imprecise. Hoffenheim continued on the counterattack, initially not even threatening the goal. Then TSG had to replace Florian Grillitsch (56th), who was apparently injured on his left shoulder, with Mijat Gacinovic.
Leipzig increased the pressure – and actually brought a ball on goal for the first time in the game with a shot by Christopher Nkunku (59th). Just a minute later, the completely uncovered Adams headed at the far post next to the gate. Nagelsmann paced impatiently up and down the sidelines, finally bringing in Alexander Sörloth (62nd) a trained striker.
And because that was still not enough, Yussuf Poulsen (72nd) was followed by the next one soon after. It didn’t help, however, as RB rarely combined dangerously in front of the goal.
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