Bundesliga is back: Nagelsmann rues RB Leipzig ring rust
Julian Nagelsmann conceded RB Leipzig were not at their best as they lost further ground on the Bundesliga leaders with a 1-1 draw at home to Freiburg.
Leipzig were 1-0 down behind closed doors at the Red Bull Arena as Manuel Gulde scored with a touch of fortune from Vincenzo Grifo's 34th-minute corner.
Captain Yussuf Poulsen headed an equaliser 13 minutes from time and Nagelsmann's side passed up a host of presentable chances, although they earned a VAR reprieve when Robin Koch's stoppage-time winner for Freiburg was ruled out for a marginal offside.
Speaking to media after the match, Nagelsmann stated top form proved elusive due to the enforced break from action his team and others observed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
"I'm happy with the tempo and intensity of the game, not with the result," he said.
"We put them under a lot of pressure in the second half and created some good chances.
"It's been a long break with weeks with no training. You can't recreate the tempo of a match in training. So it hasn't really come together."
#Nagelsmann:
— RB Leipzig English (@RBLeipzig_EN) May 16, 2020
"I'm happy with the tempo and intensity of the game. Not with the result. We put them under a lot of pressure in the second half, and created some good chances."#RBLSCF pic.twitter.com/xXOTOcxngU
Leipzig are now four points behind second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who ran out dominant 4-0 winners over Schalke, while champions Bayern Munich will be seven points better off if they beat Union Berlin on Sunday.
"We played well, but didn't take our chances, so I've got mixed feelings," Poulsen said. "I'm happy that we didn't lose. But we really should've taken all three points."
Leipzig are back in action at Mainz next weekend.