Football

Nagelsman confident of Leipzig progress despite Liverpool defeat

Leipzig’s German head coach Julian Nagelsmann reacts during the German first division Bundesliga football match RB Leipzig v Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Leipzig, eastern Germany on January 30, 2021. (Photo by Ronny HARTMANN / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO


RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has not given up hope of his side making progress to the quarter finals of this season’s UEFA Champions League.
Leipzig suffered a 0-2 first leg defeat in their last 16 tie to Liverpool on Tuesday night but the trainer is not throwing in the towel yet ahead of the return fixture.
The Bundesliga club were routinely beaten in their ‘home tie’ in Budapest by the English champions, who will host the German club in Liverpool in early March for the second leg.
Angelino hit the post early on for RB Leipzig before Alisson was forced into a good save to deny Christopher Nkunku in the second.
Liverpool then capitalised on Leipzig mistakes with quick-fire goals from Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane offering the Reds a major advantage ahead of the return leg.
“We know the result, but I think we played a good game,” Nagelsmann said. “We’ll take this with us to the second leg.
“I already want to say before somebody asks the question: The situation is not easier of course, but not impossible either.
“We will do everything and try to reach the next round.”Leipzig had 12 shots to 10, while Liverpool had three shots on target to two and also edged possession in a tight game, where Nagelsmann said capitalising on chances was the difference.
“We needed two, three minutes after these two mistakes,” the 33-year-old coach said. “It’s the classic question to ask, if these mistakes will be punished at this high level.
“This is basically punished on every level. Then we needed five, six minutes to bounce back. It was good that we didn’t concede a third goal. Then my boys did well again.”

Sammy Wejinya

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