PSV must be wary on Tuesday night of unpredictable RB Leipzig

On Tuesday evening PSV will play in the Champions League against RB Leipzig at the Red Bull Arena, a match that follows a disappointing 1-1 draw against Shakhtar Donetsk. The German side has won all three home matches, scoring 14 goals and conceding none.

Leipzig’s home streak and scoring ability

The Red Bulls have achieved three victories at home, scoring fourteen times and never conceding a goal. In the Bundesliga they started with convincing winning streaks: 5-0 against HSV, 3-0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach and 6-0 against Eintracht Frankfurt. Yet they later lost 3-1 to Bayer Leverkusen and likewise to Werder Bremen, highlighting their inconsistent season.

According to club watcher Benjamin Post, the inconsistency and recent setbacks are partly due to numerous injuries and late signings, such as Christopher Nkunku, who only arrived recently. “Leipzig have a lot of creativity, but sometimes the tempo of the attacks is too low, as during the 2-0 defeat to Leverkusen,” Post explains.

Demichelis’ past and coaching philosophy

Martín Demichelis, former defender of Bayern Munich, played as many as 259 official matches for the Der Rekordmeister. He learned the tricks of the trade there and coached the under‑19 and youth team from July 2019 until the end of 2022. Later he led River Plate and Real Mallorca, where he started in March 2023.

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“When Demichelis was still a world‑class defender, he played with enormous passion. He now expects the same passion from his own squad,” Post explains.

“Leipzig now applies much higher pressure than in recent seasons and also has much more possession. Passion, intensity, high pressure and possession form four important pillars within his football vision,” Post adds.

Demichelis is seen by Leipzig as a talented coach, which is why he was appointed in the summer. His focus on intensity and a good relationship with players is described by the team as “extremely friendly and easy to get along with”.

Injuries and attacking threat at Leipzig

Leipzig is dealing with important absences. Christoph Baumgartner, top scorer of last season, misses the match, while Rocco Reitz recently returned from a one‑month injury. Brajan Gruda spent ninety minutes on the bench after he had just been added to the group training.

Assan Ouédraogo, the twenty‑year‑old forward, has suffered a shoulder injury and will not play again this calendar year, despite a call‑up for the German national team. Post names Antonio Nusa, Christopher Nkunku and Brajan Gruda as the biggest threat to PSV.

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“Nkunku scored a hat‑trick against Frankfurt and creates countless chances for his teammates,” Post says.

“Rômulo works hard as a striker, applies a lot of pressure and is an important link in the attack,” he adds.

For PSV this is a crucial test in the Champions League, with Leipzig’s unpredictable nature and Martín Demichelis’s tactical choices at the centre.