With a mischievous grin, Marco Rose high-fived each of his players individually. In just two days, the native of Leipzig helped his new club regain the joy of playing.
At least with the 3-0 (2-0) win against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, it seemed that RB Leipzig had taken the right path with the Rose commitment. “It certainly wasn’t perfect yet, but we were intense, broadcast something, took the stadium with us and ourselves. I can live very well with the way it is,” said Rose, who had been introduced just two days earlier.
Rose: “I’m not a magician”
Especially since the next test is already waiting. Leipzig travels to the big Real Madrid for the Champions League game. “Hopefully they save it properly,” said Rose, looking at his professionals and the deserved win against BVB. “I didn’t lay hands on me, I’m not a magician.”
Willi Orban put RB in the lead in front of 47,069 spectators after just six minutes, Dominik Szoboszlai (45th) increased with a long-range shot before substitute Amadou Haidara (84th) scored the final score. RB climbed to tenth place in the table thanks to their second win of the season. BVB fell back to fourth place.
“Football went very well with the team. We didn’t play any other sport before that,” said Xaver Schlager, who, as a former Salzburg professional, was immediately in the starting XI under Rose. “The style suits me, it’s simple things, a lot of aggressiveness, willingness to run, the basic virtues. You can make mistakes, but the basics have to be there.” Rose had changed his system compared to that of his predecessor Domenico Tedesco, Leipzig played in a compact 4-2-3-1.
Terzic: “We played against a strong opponent”
Rose’s successor at BVB, Edin Terzic, said it was “very bitter” for the runner-up. “We played against a very strong opponent, just five or six minutes here in Leipzig isn’t enough to take anything with us.” Rose was enjoying the win internally. “It was a special game when Borussia comes, I have a lot of friends there, so there’s no satisfaction in it.”
BVB had only developed in phases and had no top-class scoring chances in the first half. Unlike Leipzig – and Rose did not fail to praise his predecessor for his work.
“Domenico won the cup, played a top second half of the season, qualified for the Champions League – so he did a great job for the club,” said the new RB coach on Sky. “Now it’s the case that constellations arise in our business where things don’t go any further, I’ve experienced that too.” Rose was alluding to his somewhat surprising end as a BVB coach in the summer.
At the time, it “didn’t fit anymore,” said Rose. “I had to go, but life goes on for me. I’ve talked to the boys now, I have a great connection to many of the coaching staff, I have a very good relationship with Edin. I wish BVB, Edin and the boys All the best,” he said of the encounter with Terzic.
For Rose, who celebrates his 46th birthday on Sunday, it was not the first success as a coach at the Leipzig Stadium. In mid-September 2018 he won 3-2 with RB Salzburg in the group stage of the Europa League – after all, against his ex-coach Ralf Rangnick. After the difficult task in Madrid, Rose’s second ex-club is waiting when it comes to Borussia Mönchengladbach.
