RB Leipzig start their Bundesliga campaign at home against Bochum, aiming for a strong victory as they strive to contend for the title this season. Despite the departure of Dani Olmo to Barcelona for €55m, Leipzig’s recruitment team has successfully secured the services of Xavi Simons for another season. The Dutch player had an impressive debut season in the Bundesliga last year and will play a crucial role in the team, particularly in the absence of Olmo.
Additionally, Leipzig managed to retain the services of Benjamin Šeško, who has been in excellent form, scoring in his last seven consecutive Bundesliga matches. Despite drawing interest from Arsenal, the Slovenian forward will continue to partner with Loïs Openda, Leipzig’s top scorer from last season with 29 goals in 46 games. Openda will be a key player in Leipzig’s attack and is expected to trouble the Bochum defense in the upcoming match.
In the absence of Xaver Schlager, Kevin Kampl is likely to start in midfield for Leipzig, while the team’s defense is expected to remain unchanged. Leipzig also has a strong attacking lineup with players like Christoph Baumgartner, Elif Elmas, Yussuf Poulsen, Andre Silva, and summer signing Nusa available on the bench. However, young talent Assan Ouedraogo is currently recovering from a knee operation and might not feature in the upcoming match. The starting lineup for Leipzig includes Péter Gulácsi, Mohamed Simakan, Willi Orban, Castello Lukeba, David Raum, Niclas Seiwald, Kevin Kampl, Amadou Haidara, Xavi Simons, Benjamin Šeško, and Loïs Openda.
