RB Leipzig star Loïs Openda is ready to take off
Despite a strong start with 11 goals in 17 Bundesliga games, the sense is that Loïs Openda still has some room to grow. And the RB Leipzig star agrees.
“The first half of the season was good, but it also could have been better,” RB Leipzig star striker Loïs Openda said to Gegenpressing as part of a media roundtable organized by the DFL on Wednesday. Indeed, when looking at the now-concluded Hinrunde, there is the fact that RB Leipzig, despite a massive turnover ahead of the season, sits in fourth place ahead of Borussia Dortmund.
A defeat to Frankfurt on Saturday, however, also means that a six-point advantage to fifth-place Dortmund has now melted to just three points. Three points that could turn into just goal difference when Leipzig meets Leverkusen in the Bundesliga Topspiel this upcoming Saturday—Dortmund will travel to Köln. Then there is also the fact that Leipzig are 12 points behind first-place Leverkusen and, after coming close to the title last season, will likely have to battle for a top-four spot the rest of the way this season.
Those are the negatives. But as always, context matters. After all, Openda is one of many top players who came in this summer to replace an army of outgoing players. Any of Josko Gvardiol (to Man City), Dominik Szoboszlai (Liverpool), and Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea) would be difficult to replace. Losing one would have been difficult, but losing all three seemed like an impossible undertaking for former sporting director Max Eberl and his then-assistant now Leipzig boss, Rouven Schröder, and head coach Marco Rose.
With that in mind, it is important to quickly switch to the positives of this Leipzig season. Yes, Leipzig are off last season's pace, which is understandable after the exit of several big stars. But the club also advanced from its Champions League group and, despite a defeat to Frankfurt last weekend, will provide a serious challenge for still-unbeaten Leverkusen this upcoming weekend.
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