RB Leipzig welcome Paderborn to the Red Bull Arena on Saturday afternoon with both sides needing a positive result for very different reasons.
The hosts will be aiming to cement their place in the top four, while Paderborn must claim all three points to stand any chance of avoiding relegation form the Bundesliga.
Leipzig are currently 3rd – two points behind Borussia Dortmund and nine points shy of Bayern Munich. However, with Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen both just two points behind, RB can’t afford to slip up.
Given their recent form, it’s difficult to imagine Leipzig dropping points on Saturday. Julian Nagelsmann’s side are unbeaten since the restart – winning two and drawing two.
RB returned with a 1-1 draw against Freiburg before thrashing Mainz 5-0. A 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin was then followed by a convincing 4-2 victory over FC Koln.
With 17 shots to Koln’s six, it’s fair to say that Leipzig dominated their previous game. Nagelsmann’s men also enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession and should’ve scored more.
At the other end of the table, Paderborn sit rock bottom. Following back-to-back promotions in two years, the newcomers have failed to adapt to the demands of the Bundesliga.
Following three consecutive draws after the break, Steffen Baumgart’s side were brushed aside by Dortmund last time out.
Paderborn managed to hold Fortuna Dusseldorf, Hoffenheim, and Augsburg before suffering a 6-1 thrashing in their previous game.
Only Mainz have conceded more goals than Paderborn in the Bundesliga this season, while the two sides directly above them in the table are the only teams that have scored fewer.
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By contrast, Leipzig boast the second-best defensive record in the division. Furthermore, RB’s free-flowing, attacking approach means that only Bayern and Dortmund have scored more.
Timo Werner added to his tally with a goal against Koln last weekend, taking his overall total to 25 goals and seven assists in 29 league appearances this term. If Paderborn are to get anything from this game, it goes without saying that they must keep Werner quiet.
From a Leipzig perspective, Werner will have to be in top form with fellow forward Yussuf Poulsen sidelined with a lengthy ankle injury.
As for Paderborn, Baumgart has no fresh injury concerns, although Klaus Gjasula and Luca Kilian could return after sitting out the defeat to Dortmund.
You have to fear the worst for Paderborn on Saturday. The bottom club are destined for relegation, while Leipzig are hot on the heels of Dortmund.
Péter Gulácsi auf @TimoWerner = TOOOOOOOOOOR! ⚽️💥Und das alles in gerade einmal in 9,78 Sekunden ... 🌪#PeteTheWallBecomesGoalassistantGulacsi pic.twitter.com/dd3icYeI2E— RB Leipzig (@DieRotenBullen) June 3, 2020
Péter Gulácsi auf @TimoWerner = TOOOOOOOOOOR! ⚽️💥Und das alles in gerade einmal in 9,78 Sekunden ... 🌪#PeteTheWallBecomesGoalassistantGulacsi pic.twitter.com/dd3icYeI2E
Forebet predicts that RB Leipzig will claim a comfortable victory, with a clean sheet looking likely for the home side.