Nagelsmann: Leipzig prepared for Bundesliga resumption after stadium rehearsal
RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann is adamant his team is well prepared for the resumption of their Bundesliga campaign on Saturday, with the squad having already undergone a "dress rehearsal" for stadium processes.
The Bundesliga will recommence this weekend after two months without matches due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Fixtures are set to be played behind closed doors and in strictly monitored conditions, with government medical protocols in place for those working at the games.
Leipzig will be involved in the first batch of contests on Saturday when they host Freiburg, and although there is a sense of unfamiliarity with the situation in general, Nagelsmann is adamant his players are in the right state of mind after going through a rehearsal of the new processes last weekend.
"We trained in the arena last Saturday and went through the entire process. A dress rehearsal, so to speak. I am in good spirits and certain that my team will give a good showing on Saturday," Nagelsmann told reporters on Thursday.
#Nagelsmann:
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“I hope to play the league to its end. We want to perform well on the day. We trained last Saturday in the Arena and went through everything. A general test if you like. I’m certain that my team will give a good showing against @scfreiburg.”
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"It [the current situation] has great parallels to a training camp. It is special to be only in one place, but we've made good use of the time.
"We've trained a lot. We did a lot of video analysis and we are well prepared for the opponent.
"We'd all prefer the fans to be there, for the emotion to be there. That's what makes football so great. Now it's gone. We need to push ourselves from within and self-motivate.
"The fans not being there can be both a blessing and a curse. When you have the fans behind you, you put in a few more yards of running. But without them there's the chance to completely focus on what you have to do.
"My wish is that we finish the league in the normal way. We want to get the matchdays over."
Leipzig will resume their season just five points behind pacesetters Bayern Munich, meaning a title push is on the cards if they can keep consistent – but Nagelsmann is expecting a difficult test on Saturday, with eighth-placed Freiburg enjoying a solid campaign of their own before the suspension.
"Freiburg aren't safe for nothing," he added. "They are very fluid and have good players, and they only give you limited space.
"After the defeat [to Freiburg] in the first half of the season, I was pretty angry because we were slow to start."