Cops alarm: Title hunters RB Leipzig were kicked out of the Champions League places at the start of the hoped-for happy May in the Bundesliga. The team coached by Domenico Tedesco lost 1:3 (1:2) to Borussia Mönchengladbach after a poor performance for a long time and are only fifth with two games to play.
Breel Embolo (17th) and Jonas Hofmann twice (45th + 2/77th) scored for Borussia and spoiled the mood for the Saxons before the showdown for the Europa League final on Thursday at Glasgow Rangers. Coach Domenico Tedesco’s team, who also have the cup final in front of their chests, only managed to equalize temporarily thanks to Christopher Nkunku’s 18th goal of the season (36th) and had to leave SC Freiburg the exceed in the table. The majority of guests after the red card against Nico Elvedi (64th) didn’t help either.
Tedesco would not excuse his team’s poor performance with the demanding guest schedule. “It would be too easy,” the coach told DAZN on the microphone: “In the first half, we played completely disembodied, so you can throw the tactical board in the trash.” Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci was also annoyed by his colleagues’ ‘sloppy play’ before the break: “We have an important goal in three days, but we have big goals and we need points for that.”
As for Gladbach, the home victory fueled hopes for an at least conciliatory end to the season: “If we had played like this before, we would certainly have had a few more points on the account”, summed up the winner of the Hofmann match, and his once again strong, goalkeeper Yann Sommer was delighted with an “important trio for morale”.
Gladbach fans criticize their own players on a banner
As advertised, Tedesco relied on their best XI despite the semi-final climax in Scotland. “Let’s go,” promised the RB coach before kick-off. But there was not much to see at first: the guests, who were supported by just over 100 fans on the unloved Monday, had little luck offensively, numerous bad passes prevented an orderly construction of the match.
As a chorus of whistles sounded in protest at the RB build when Leipzig possessed the ball, there was often confusion on the pitch. The lead came out of nowhere: with luck the ball landed at Embolo, who remained icy past Peter Gulacsi. It was the Swiss’ sixth goal in the second half of the season, including five in the last six Bundesliga matches.
However, there was hardly any atmosphere, the weak season and the last derby defeat marked Borussia fans. “Without a fight, without will, without character – I hope we get rid of the mercenaries among you soon,” read one banner. However, in this phase, it was rather the people of Leipzig who seemed apathetic and unimaginative.
But RB also had the first opportunity to score: Nkunku skillfully transformed a fine pass from André Silva. But Gladbach responded before the break: Embolo dispatched Hofmann, who ripped into the left corner.
After the break, Leipzig kicked into high gear. Sommer deflected a header from Silva on the crossbar (55′). After the red card due to an emergency braking against Elvedi, almost only the guests played – but Hofmann completed one of the few rescue attacks at 3:1.
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs RB Leipzig: the voices of the coach
Adi Hütter (Borussia Mönchengladbach coach): “We played fast, I liked that a lot, also the fighting performance. The first goal before the break was very important. In the end, we have to thank Yann Sommer, who kept the goal clean in the important moments. In the end, it’s a deserved victory that gives us a lot of joy.”
Domenico Tedesco (RB Leipzig coach): “It was a deserved win for Gladbach. We weren’t on the pitch in the first half and we missed everything – intensity, physicality. We lost the ball too quickly and also didn’t secure the ball in front. At this stage of the season, it’s a few gifts too many.”
Borussia Mönchengladbach vs RB Leipzig: Match dates
Moenchengladbach: Sommer – Beyer, Elvedi, Bensebaini – Lainer, Kone (89th Kramer), Neuhaus, Netz (90th + 3 Scally) – Hofmann, Stindl (66th Friedrich) – Embolo (89th plea). – Coach: Hütter
leipzig: Gulacsi – Simakan (46th Klostermann), Orban, Gvardiol (33rd Halstenberg) – Mukiele (80th Forsberg), Kampl, Angelino – Laimer (80th Szoboszlai), Olmo, Nkunku – Silva (65th Poulsen). – Trainer: Tedesco
arbitrator: Martin Petersen (Stuttgart)
doors: 1-0 Embolo (17′), 1-1 Nkunku (36′), 2-1 Hofmann (45’+2′), 3-1 Hofmann (77′)
Red card: Elvedi (Mönchengladbach) after an emergency braking (64th)