Infection: Timo Werner will miss Leipzig in Belgrade
RB Leipzig will have to play their Champions League match at Red Star Belgrade without international Timo Werner. The striker did not make the trip to the 13-time Serbian champions due to an infection. "He's so ill that he's not fit to play," said coach Marco Rose. It is also unclear whether Yussuf Poulsen will play. The Dane only trained individually on Monday with adductor problems. The Saxons traveled to Serbia with two defeats in a row, but beat Belgrade 3:1 in the first leg.
Leipzig can advance to the round of 16 on Tuesday (21:00/DAZN). To do so, the cup winners must win in Belgrade and defending champions Manchester City must pick up at least one point against Young Boys Bern at the same time. Leipzig have already reached the knockout round of the top flight three times, but only on the last day of group play. "We have the ambition to go through to the next round. If we accept the challenge, nothing stands in our way," said national team player David Raum.
Leipzig can expect a heated atmosphere at the Rajko Mitic stadium, known as Marakana. Rose prepared his players for this in his speech at the final training session. "The lads know the atmosphere, this is another special place, that's for sure," said the 47-year-old. "The relationship between the team and the fans is a special one. The fans live and breathe Red Star, they suffer and share in the excitement, they drive their team forward." You shouldn't let them drive you crazy. We have to "really hold our own if we want to survive".
Despite Timo Werner's absence due to an infection, RB Leipzig will still face Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League. In the absence of Werner and potential doubts over Yussuf Poulsen's availability, Red Star Belgrade's home stadium, known as Marakana, is set to provide a challenging atmosphere for the visiting Leipzig team.
Source: www.dpa.com
