The Red Bull Arena hosted the kick-off game in the Bundesliga season to the respective sides on 20th September between RB Leipzig and Mainz 05. This tactical analysis will break down the game that ended as a 3-1 victory to Leipzig.
RB Leipzig, led by Julian Nagelsmann, finished the previous Bundesliga season in 3rd place, utilising several young bright talents in the process. Heading into the winter break Leipzig were at the top of the table, five points ahead of then-third placed Bayern Munich. While Bayern would continue to improve dramatically under Hansi Flick, Leipzig would begin to falter under Nagelsmann, who would collect disappointing draws regularly. In this analysis, we will discover how Nagelsmann’s tactics allowed them to gain the victory in this match.
Mainz 05, managed by Achim Beierlorzer, finished the previous Bundesliga season in 13th place, after a mixed season which saw them sack former coach Sandro Schwarz in November 2019. Mainz were a side who suffered defensively last term, ranking as the fourth-worst for xGA in the league, with only two relegated sides and Freiburg placing lower. They also struggled to break the lines from midfield, limiting supply to their top goal scorer, Robin Quaison and their other forwards. This analysis will take a deeper dive in how this continued to be the case in this match-up.
Lineups
RB Leipzig (3-4-3): Péter Gulácsi; Lukas Klostermann, Dayot Upamencano, Marcel Halstenberg; Amadou Haidara, Tyler Adams, Kevin Kampl, Angeliño; Dani Olmo, Yussuf Poulsen, Emil Forsberg.
The Leipzig line-up was an experimental one, opting to go for a three at the back, but chose players outside of their typical positions. Gulácsi continues to be the first-choice goalkeeper after a great season last year. Despite links to Manchester United, Upamencano starts in the centre of a back three. Haidara, usually a central-midfielder, and Angeliño were the two wing-backs choices, while Adams and Kampl got their chance in the midfield, after performing well in limited minutes last season, and partly due to the injury of Konrad Laimer. The sale of Timo Werner has adjusted the forward line for Leipzig, with Poulsen acting as a defensive forward to support Olmo and Forsberg in the final third.
