Bundesliga - "Absolute added value": Rose emphasizes the importance of Openda
RB Leipzig coach Marco Rose has praised the development of striker Loïs Openda and sees even greater potential. "We're talking about details, about first contact, about positioning," said Rose after the 2:1 win against 1. FC Heidenheim. "That's why he came here, to get better."
Openda had given Leipzig the lead against Heidenheim with a penalty, his tenth goal in his 13th Bundesliga match. Overall, his Leipzig record stands at 14 goals and three assists in 21 games. The €40 million signing has thus far fully compensated for the sale of top scorer Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea FC.
"I think he has absolute added value and that's important for me to emphasize," said Rose, describing the Belgian international's strengths: "The boy gives us so much, he's so uncomfortable to defend against. He makes so many runs, is so strong with his low center of gravity, runs away from opponents."
Openda is currently standing out in a Leipzig team that has been somewhat battered. Even if he joined his colleagues in wasting chances against Heidenheim. "It's not so easy for us to win games at the moment," said Rose. We are not in the most effective phase. "I'm sure that if we keep working, things will get easier for us than they are at the moment."
Leipzig practically had themselves to blame for the narrow result against Heidenheim. The Saxons should have scored at least four goals from their chances. The statistical value of "expected goals" alone was 4.14. Heidenheim proved to be much more effective, which is why the game remained tense until the end.
Heidensheim coach Frank Schmidt spoke of a deserved victory for Leipzig, but quibbled with referee Christian Dingert's penalty decision in the first half. "I have the greatest respect and I think the referees also know that it's not easy to referee games," said Schmidt. "But on the other hand, when I see the penalty today, I just have to say it wasn't a penalty." In Schmidt's opinion, Norman Theuerkauf played the ball in the duel against Openda in the scene in question.
Website Bundesliga Squad RB Leipzig RB Leipzig on Twitter The game on the Bundesliga website Squad Heidenheim
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- Despite the recent sale of top scorer Christopher Nkunku to FC Chelsea, Loïs Openda's performances for RB Leipzig in the Bundesliga have largely compensated for his absence, scoring 14 goals and providing three assists in just 21 games.
- Originating from Baden-Württemberg, Frank Schmidt, the coach of 1. FC Heidenheim, acknowledged Leipzig's dominance in their recent match but argued against the penalty decision that gave Leipzig an early lead, believing Norman Theuerkauf had controlled the ball in the duel with Openda.
- Hoping to bounce back from their recent wobbles, Marco Rose, the German coach of RB Leipzig, stressed the importance of detail and improvement in Openda's game, hailing his positioning, first contact, and his ability to run past opponents, attributing Openda's strengths to his low center of gravity.
- Despite a seemingly easy victory over Heidenheim, Leipzig squandered numerous chances, leaving the game open until the final minutes, as the team's current form in the Bundesliga has led them to struggle with converting opportunities, leaving Frank Schmidt's men with a tense contest.
- In the heart of Saxony, where RB Leipzig hails from, players like Openda are striving to make their mark on the soccer scene, working tirelessly to improve their craft, as evident in the Bundesliga, where the competitive nature of German soccer never ceases to surprise.
- Meanwhile, in the Bundesliga, the competition between teams like RB Leipzig and FC Bayern Munich continues to captivate audiences, with clubs like FC Chelsea eyeing young talents and testing the strength of Bundesliga sides, as the German league showcases some of Europe's best talent.
Source: www.stern.de
