Leipzig Shock the System by Advancing to UEFA Champions League Final

Leipzig have arrived on the big stage with a major win over Atletico Madrid and advancing to the UEFA Champions League semi-final. The win exemplified years of work that the East German club has made towards legitimizing their process and now have the ability to put themselves among the giants of Europe.

"You couldn't write a better story," said long-time striker Yussuf Poulsen. "It is a huge day and an amazing moment - we have to enjoy it. Another fantastic game is around the corner. We were the better team and are deservedly through to the semi-final."

Leipzig were certainly the better side, showing that they can break down one of the staunchest defenses in Europe. Madrid are multiple time Champions League finalists and have lifted the Europa League in recent years. One of Leipzig's biggest criticisms over the past few years has been their inability to defeat top teams. In the last two rounds that has changed with wins over Tottenham Hotspur and now Atletico Madrid.

Even more impressive was that this was done without star striker Timo Werner. The team changed formation and appeared more patient in attack. Their build up was strong and passing was incisive. Both goals came in the second half from unlikely sources. Dani Olmo's header early in the second half was his first for the club in international play and Tyler Adams' in the 88th minute was the same.

"We defended with a lot of passion," said head coach Julian Nagelsmann. "We were the better team against a very good and experienced side. We were brilliant."

Next up is a different test. Paris Saint Germain are a club that has under-performed at this level but is looking to fulfill a promise made to fans nearly a decade ago. The team has some of the highest paid talent in the world but struggled to dispatch Atalanta in the quarterfinal. Tuesday, Leipzig will need to continue their strong play in order to topple Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

"Paris Saint Germain are a top-level side with a top-notch coach. They have a lot of quality and are a threat right until the final minute. You saw that during the match against Atalanta. They have a star-studded squad. We will need to give it 100 percent, but we are looking forward to the match and will go in highly motivated."

Comments

Red Bulls Announce Fan Experience Improvements

by Garry Redman On top of the theme nights announced this season, something new has been added the next time the season ticket holders and supporters step inside The Cathedral... The state-of-the-art LED lighting system at Red Bull Arena will provide higher on-field light levels for enhanced visibility and safety and introduce new entertainment features that heighten the overall experience for spectators. Built around Musco's Total Light Control—TLC for LED™ technology, the new system is designed to provide exceptional playability and uniformity while minimizing glare. Cleaner, whiter light will elevate the broadcast quality for fans watching around the world. Color-changing fixtures and Show-Light® Pro entertainment technology will allow the Red Bulls to wash the stadium in different colors and synchronize light shows to music, heightening the fan experience during goal celebrations, player introductions, and other big moments. If you have no idea what this means, cl...

Quotes: Red Bulls Show Promise, But More Work Need To Be Done

photo by Matt Kremkau Sixty seconds in a ninety-minute match. That’s all it took for Sporting Kansas City to ruin the Opening Day festivities at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. The supporters in attendance saw crisp passing and a stout defense that kept the visitors at bay, despite not having striker Alan Pulido in the starting lineup. But significantly, the supporters were buoyed by a return to that press that has last seen since Jesse Marsch was in charge. But that was the first 45 minutes. In the second half, things turned for the better and then, shockingly, worse for the home side that evening. Midfielder Caden Clark, who scored the opening goal, spoke about the match as a whole: I’ve kept that in the back of my mind, actually, not scoring at home. I really wanted to do that in front of the supporters, and it was great to do that in front of the few that were here tonight who brought the noise. When I scored that [goal] the place was shaking, and you feed off of that and gai...

Editorial: New York Red Bulls are Fun to Watch

photo by Matt Kremkau by Daniel Feuerstein The New York Red Bulls 2024 season starts off and running. In their first three matches, they have looked different from their last five to six seasons of doom and despair when trying to attack or have a lapse in judgment on the defensive end. The two big editions for the club are undoubtedly the imports from Sweden in Centerback Noah Elle & attacking midfielder Emil Forsberg. Two players who are a part of the Swedish National Team have started off well in Major League Soccer. We all knew what we were getting right away from Forsberg. A high-energy creative and attacking midfielder who was already bought in from day one, when Director of Sport Jochen Schneider went to Leipzig and brought him over. He was already committed to making the trip to the United States to play his brand of soccer, and so far he hasn't disappointed. Even though he has come close three times off of free kicks, hitting the crossbar twice and being saved by the ke...

Red Bull News Network

Search This Blog