RB Leipzig vs Holstein Kiel

There’s no margin for error as RB Leipzig and Holstein Kiel lock horns in a must-win Bundesliga clash at the Red Bull Arena. 

Leipzig claimed a gutsy 3-2 win at Wolfsburg last weekend to complete the first set of consecutive Bundesliga victories since December and get their stuttering Champions League qualification quest back on track. Interim manager Zsolt Low has recorded partial success across his three matches in charge since taking over from Marco Rose (W2, L1) but still helped ‘Die Roten Bullen’ open up a two-point buffer to fifth-placed Mainz. Another win looks like a virtual certainty, not least because Leipzig have remarkably never lost a league game against promoted sides in their Bundesliga history (W31, D4)! That incredible record includes 18 wins from their last 19 such fixtures, including a comfortable 2-0 triumph in December’s reverse fixture against Holstein Kiel, highlighting the potential for routine three points. 

With a league-high 57.4% of Leipzig’s goals this season coming in the first half, visiting Holstein Kiel must try not to fall behind in the opening 45 minutes as they bid to stave off relegation via playoffs. Indeed, nailed to the bottom of the Bundesliga table, the visitors trail 16th-placed Heidenheim by four points pre-round, largely thanks to a sobering run of one win from their last 12 league outings (D4, L7). Moreover, they head into proceedings on the back of consecutive league failures (D1, L1) despite opening the scoring on both occasions. Despite their season-long struggles, Marcel Rapp’s men are the only side in the Bundesliga to have found the net in every away match this season. Yet, they’ve conceded a league-high 34 goals on their Bundesliga travels!