RB Leipzig coach Martín Demichelis has analyzed Borussia Mönchengladbach's new defensive tactics ahead of the first matchday of the Bundesliga. The Argentine gave his assessment in a press conference on Friday, as reported by Yahoo Sports, preparing his team for the season opener on Saturday.
Gladbach finished the previous season in 12th place in the Bundesliga with 38 points. Their record from 34 games was 9 wins, 11 draws, and 14 defeats. Their recent form showed WLWDD.
What has changed in Gladbach's defense?
Martín Demichelis sees a clear tactical shift from the Foals. He said Gladbach now aggressively defends one-on-one against the ball across the entire pitch. This approach is known from clubs like Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain and is being adopted by more coaches. For Leipzig, it means the opponent will close down immediately and press hard. The team must therefore make quick, good decisions and find space. They have worked on this challenge in training sessions over the past week.
How is Leipzig approaching the debut?
Demichelis will take charge of his first Bundesliga match as head coach with RB Leipzig on Saturday. He is looking forward to the debut and emphasized the importance of the three points. The team has worked hard for seven long weeks and improved continuously. His confidence in the players is high. The defensive organization was refined further in recent days, even if small details are still missing. The entire squad, however, shows hunger and desire, which is the most important factor for him.
What is Christopher Nkunku's role?
A special focus is on the return of striker Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman trained normally last week and will be in the squad, but according to Demichelis, he is not yet at his optimal playing rhythm. There is no doubt about his quality. Due to his intelligence and ball skills, he is not fixed to a single position, whether as a number nine, ten, or out wide. The team believes in him. The current table and further Bundesliga statistics can be viewed on our standings page.
What does the season start mean in the broader context?
The opener against Gladbach is the start of a demanding season for RB Leipzig. The team scored 42 goals last season but conceded 53, resulting in a negative goal difference of -11. The gap to champions Bayern Munich was 51 points. After the match against Borussia, the next competitive fixture follows on September 5th, a home game against SV Elversberg. You can find the complete schedule on our fixtures overview. Demichelis's analysis highlights that Leipzig must respond from the outset with a highly focused and disciplined performance to cope with Gladbach's changed strategy.
