Opponent profile: Focus on RB Leipzig

The trend

Following a 1-4 defeat to open their Bundesliga campaign in Dortmund, Leipzig then played out 1-1 draws with both Fortuna Düsseldorf and Eintracht Frankfurt. A 3-1 home victory over Hannover ten days ago handed RB their first three-pointer of the season. With four games played, RB Leipzig’s evenly balanced tally and five points puts them in mid-table.

The coach

To begin the 2019/2020 campaign, Julian Nagelsmann will take over as RB head coach, with general-manager Ralf Rangnick holding the coach’s reins for the course of this season.

The former VfB favourites

Ralf Rangnick played for VfB’s amateur teams from 1976 until 1979, eventually beginning his coaching career there (1985–1987). After four years in charge of the club’s Under 19 selection, he then stood on the side-lines as VfB head-coach in the Bundesliga between 1999 and 2001. RB striker Timo Werner also took his first steps in professional football in the jersey with the infamous hoop and remains VfB’s youngest ever Bundesliga player and goal-scorer. The Stuttgart born youngster came through the VfB ranks from 2002 until 2016.

The new signings

In time for the current season, RB Leipzig secured the services of Matheus Cunha (19-year-old Brazilian striker from FC Sion), Nordi Mukiele (20-year-old French defender from HSC Montpellier), Marius Müller (25-year-old goalkeeper from 1. FC Kaiserslautern), Atinc Nukan (25-year-old Turkish defender from Besiktas Istanbul) and Marcelo Saracchi (20-year-old Uruguayan midfielder from CA River Plate).

The stadium

With a capacity of almost 43,000 places, the Red Bull Arena is the second biggest stadium in the east of Germany behind the Olympiastadion in Berlin. Opened in 2004, the Arena hosted matches in the 2006 World Cup finals. Last season, an average of 38,000 spectators visited the home games of RB Leipzig.