Speaking to the club’s official website, Steffen Freund has delivered an ominous warning as to what Tottenham can expect from RB Leipzig when they face off against each other in the Champions League last-16.
What did he say?
The north London side were drawn against Julian Nagelsmann’s side for the first knockout round after safely making it out of a group that included Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich. And whilst they avoided some of the big boys, former Spurs ace Freund was quick to talk up the potential difficulties Leipzig could raise with their style of football.
He said: “They are really flexible tactically with Nagelsmann. The most dangerous thing is, when they win the ball, RB Leipzig play vertical and they don’t care if they don’t have possession because they know when they win the ball they play quick to Werner, Emil Forsberg, Yussuf Poulsen, Schick – it doesn’t matter who plays because they have so much pace on the wings with Nkunku and lots of players who can make the difference.
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“They can create something from nothing. Spurs will have to be focused and keep their concentration and they have to look out for counter-attacking football. So, Tottenham, if they dominate the game – and I think they will – they will have to be careful when RB Leipzig win the ball.”
Caution
After seeing virtually all their Premier League rivals get hugely difficult ties on paper, Spurs may have been rubbing their hands at the prospect of facing Leipzig. After all, they’re not one of the traditional European big boys, and don’t have the same level of reputation as their more illustrious counterparts.
But make no mistake about it, the German side are a very “dangerous” outfit indeed. Nagelsmann has led Leipzig to the top of the Bundesliga after 16 games of the campaign, scoring 45 goals (the highest in the division) and conceding just 19 (the joint-third best).
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The pace and goal-scoring threat of Timo Werner alone (he has 23 goals to his name) would represent a hugely difficult task for the north London side to stifle, so add to that the pressure and occasion of it being the knockout rounds, and Spurs would do well to not take Leipzig lightly.
Meanwhile, Tottenham’s declining ace could be in for a rude awakening in the derby clash against Chelsea.
