Hertha a Win a Necessity for "Self-Confidence"

photo from Bundesliga

RB Leipzig have had their worst start to a Bundesliga campain, losing three of their first five games under new manager Jesse Marsch. Combined with rumors of a locker room revolt over the team's throwback pressure playing style and it appears as if the American coach's time with last year's Bundesliga runners-up is on shaky ground. Much will depend on their result over the weekend in order to regain confidence.

"We need to beat Hertha," said team veteran Emil Forsberg. "For our self-confidence if nothing else. The passion, the will, the mentality - it's all there. We just have to show it on the pitch. We want to give our fans a win."

Four straight demoralizing results have occurred, starting with the 1-0 loss to Wolfsburg and ending this past weekend with a draw that could have gone either way. Last year it seemed as if the growth of Leipzig was destined to take them to a championship but even the inclusion of striker Andre Silva hasn't been able to lift the team on the pitch.

"We need to keep calm on the ball," said Forsberg. "Especially in games as intense as the one last time out against Cologne, where we did that well. It's normal to have a bit of uncertainty after a loss but against Cologne we kept a good portion of our self-confidence or worked on it."

Forsberg has seen the club since they were in Germany's second division. He has seen the club reach the heights of the UEFA Champions League semi-final and the lows of crushing losses to both Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in the German Cup final. Still, there is a belief that the team can galvanize despite recent form.

Rumors of players expressing their discomfort with Marsch's tactics have been publicized and Forsberg did not shy away from questions about his skipper. He acknowledged the discussions with the coach without saying how heated or the current tenor of the locker room.

"Jesse Marsch is the coach," said Forsberg. "He makes the decisions, but it's important to him that everyone in the team is allowed and opinion and can share it. We can always have open discussions with him and I find that great."

Leipzig returns to Red Bull Arena in East Germany to play Hertha Berlin on Saturday at 9:30 AM.

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