With just two wins in their first five Bundesliga games, many were quick to write RB Leipzig off as one-season wonders. Yet they've now won all of their last, three games and did so with a bang on Saturday night with a win at Dortmund. A huge result that not only knocks Dortmund's confidence but reminds the Bundesliga that Leipzig are here to stay and are ready for another title race.
RB Leipzig didn’t have the best start to only their second Bundesliga season. Despite a flutter of interest and applause from neutrals around the world of football for Ralph Hassenhuttl’s side, after finishing second in the Bundesliga, their summer was dominated by key players looking to move on to bigger clubs.
The club managed to keep the likes of Naby Keita and Emil Forsberg at the club, but applying all of their off-season attention to the transfer window had cleared had an effect when the first league game came about. In an opening-day clash in Gelsenkirchen a limited Schalke side overcame them by a clear two goals to nil.
Over the next four league games a home draw to Borussia Moenchengladbach and an away defeat to lowly Augsburg left the club sitting ninth after just five games. Against the backdrop of a league that already held the club in clear contempt, Leipzig were quickly called a one-season hit and left to stumble back down the league table.
To get back on track Hassenhuttl was largely forced to shake up the status quo at the Red Bull Arena in Leipzig. A three-game ban for Naby Ketia meant a reshuffle in midfield, while an injury to Timo Werner meant the return of towering striker Yussuf Poulsen and two goals in the next three games. Yet perhaps the most notable shift was Forsberg being dropped to the bench for Leipzig’s most notable upset to date.
On Saturday, Dortmund lost their first home clash in 41 games despite taking the lead through Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. A header from Marcel Sabitzer was then followed by Poulsen finishing off a fantastic dribble by new signing, Bruma. Jean-Kévin Augustin then confirmed all three points from the penalty spot before a late penalty from Aubameyang.
The win pushed Leipzig up to third place, one point behind Bayern Munich and just three behind pace-setters, Dortmund. Yet most importantly it suggested any ours of Leipzig’s demise back to the mean were perhaps a little exaggerated. The Bundesliga’s most hated club are still set on shaking up the Status Quo.
