Leipzig face major Bundesliga test after European mauling

Berlin: RB Leipzig’s unbeaten run in the Bundesliga this season will be put to the test when they travel to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday, three days after their European mauling at the hands of Manchester United.

Leipzig, top of the table in the Bundesliga, suffered their worst-ever loss — and the first of the season — when they crashed out 5-0 in Manchester for the Champions League on Wednesday.

Julian Nagelsmann’s team looked to have compensated for the loss of top striker Timo Werner this season after his move to Chelsea but their complete lack of chances against United triggered alarm bells.

“Such a result, losing 5-0, never feels good,” Nagelsmann said. “We were taught a lesson and we need to learn from it.” “We need to deal with setbacks differently than we did,” he said, referring to Manchester United’s first two goals.

Leipzig, Champions League semi-finalists last season, are a point clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the table, with Gladbach in sixth place.

Leipzig have won four of five league games, scoring 12 goals and conceding just three, and are on a club-record nine-game unbeaten run away from home, stretching into last season.

The Saxony club has yet to lose to Gladbach in its brief Bundesliga history, having won five of eight games.

But this time the trip to the Foals is likely to be their toughest league test this season.

Gladbach narrowly missed out on a memorable European win on Tuesday, drawing 2-2 with Real Madrid after conceding two late goals.

The result was bittersweet for Marco Rose’s team, especially after also conceding a 90th minute equaliser a week earlier in their 1-1 draw at Inter Milan.

Their strike force, however, was once again on full display as it has been this season, with Marcus Thuram and Alassane Plea forming a formidable partnership and Florian Neuhaus and Jonas Hofmann maturing into German internationals.

Champions Bayern, fresh from their 2-1 Champions League win over Lokomotiv Moscow, travel to strugglers Cologne, while Borussia Dortmund, in third place and level on 12 points with Bayern, face promoted Arminia Bielefeld.

Fixtures

Friday
Schalke v Stuttgart, 11.30pm
Saturday
Eintracht v Bremen, 6.30pm
Cologne v Bayern, 6.30pm
Augsburg v Mainz, 6.30pm
Arminia Bielefeld v Dortmund, 6.30pm
Monchengladbach v RB Leipzig, 9.30pm
Sunday
Freiburg v Leverkusen, 6.30pm
Hertha Berlin v Wolfsburg, 9pm
Monday
Hoffenheim v Union Berlin, 11.30pm