RB Leipzig 26/27 Season Preview & Predictions (ft. Johannes Martin)

Justin Crozer: 00:00:01

Third place European nights are back under the lights.

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Champions League football

locked in at the Red Bull Arena.

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And the club's response to all of that?

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: 00:00:09

Sack the manager.

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: 00:00:12

Ole Werner takes us back into

the top three in his one and

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: 00:00:14

only season, and he's gone.

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: 00:00:17

In comes Martin Demichelis, an

Argentine, an outsider to the Red Bull

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system, a man who was managing in the

Spanish second tier not that long ago.

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So the question the whole city's

asking this summer is a simple one.

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Is that bold or is that reckless?

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Today we get into all of it.

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Who wins our awards this season, where

we finish in all three competitions,

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and later I'm joined by a man who stands

outside the stadium with a microphone

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and hears the raw, unfiltered voice of

the terraces like almost nobody else.

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New season, new gaffer, same passion.

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Let's go.

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Welcome to RBL Talk, the podcast

for RB Leipzig supporters

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by RB Leipzig supporters.

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No agendas, no gatekeepers,

just pure Leipzig passion.

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I'm your host, Justin Crozer, and this is

our season preview and prediction special.

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Here's the plan for the next little while.

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First up, I'm handing out

my crystal ball awards.

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Who's my player of the season?

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Who's my breakout star?

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Who lifts the golden boot?

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And I'm committing on the record to

exactly where we finish in the Bundesliga,

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the DFB-Pokal, and the Champions League.

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Screenshot those because we're

coming back to them next year

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Then it's over to the Digital

Terrace, your takes, your

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voices, and me answering back.

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After that, a look ahead to our very

first competitive test of the new era.

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And to round it off, a proper guest,

Johannes Martin, the voice of the

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Terraces himself from Four Fans.

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He's going to give us the real fan

verdict on Demichelis, the summer

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business, and his own predictions.

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Big episode.

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Grab a drink.

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Settle in.

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Let's get into it.

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Player of the Season is

up first, my MVP pick.

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I'm going with Antonio Nusa.

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Hear me out.

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Demichelis has told us

exactly what he wants.

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His words, bold, intense,

vertical attack mode football.

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High pressing, quick recovery,

get up the pitch fast.

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That is a system built for a

winger who can carry the ball

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40 yards and terrify a fullback.

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Nusa was already one of our highest rated

players last term, hovering around that

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seven point three mark on the aggregators.

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And if the new manager unlocks him,

he's a Player of the Season shout.

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My contenders behind him, David

Raum, who was arguably our best

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performer last season, and the

ever-reliable Christoph Baumgartner

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Top scorer, the Golden Boot.

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This one's steadier.

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Christoph Baumgartner.

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He led us for goals last season,

13 in the league, 17 in all

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competitions, and he's still here.

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Still central to everything.

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If Diomande stays, he pushes him hard.

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But for consistency across a full

campaign, I trust Baumgartner's numbers.

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Signing of the season?

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For me, it's Rocco Reitz.

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He arrives from Gladbach.

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He's a proper modern midfielder,

and a De Michelis side that presses

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this aggressively lives or dies on

the man in front of the back four.

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If Reitz becomes the metronome, he's the

signing that makes the whole thing tick.

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Keep an eye on defender Maxime Estevi too.

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Breakout player?

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The future star.

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I'm rolling the dice on

one of the young additions.

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And that is Samba Konate.

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And honestly, any of Suleman Sani

and Adiel Thomas could be the one who

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steals a headline before Christmas

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unsung hero?

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Seiwald took this one off us last season

and did it quietly and brilliantly.

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This year my pick is Costello Lacaba

because nobody talks about the center

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back until the day he's missing.

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And in a high pressing side that

defends with a high line, the calm

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man at the back is everything.

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Goal of the season?

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You can't predict a screamer, but

you can predict who scores it.

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My money's on Nusa with a

solo run or a Diamande half

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volley from the edge of the box

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And the one nobody wants to win,

the Needs Improvement Award.

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I'm not going to be cruel here,

so I'll frame it as most to prove.

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Romelu picked up this

one from us last term.

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I want to see the bounce back.

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A new manager is a clean slate

for everybody, and that's an

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opportunity, not a punishment

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Now the bit you're really

here for, the predictions.

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On the record, Bundesliga,

I'm saying third.

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Again, Bayern are Bayern.

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Leverkusen and Dortmund,

along with Stuttgart, are all

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snapping around that top four.

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But I back this squad and this intensity

to hold a Champions League place.

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Third.

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DFB-Pokal.

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We bowed out in the quarters last year.

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I want one better.

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I'm calling the semifinals.

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If we get past a nasty-looking first

round, which we'll talk about shortly.

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Then Champions League, realistically,

I want us through the league

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phase and into the knockouts.

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Top 24 minimum.

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And I think we can sneak the playoff

round and dream of a round of 16.

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Just being back is the win.

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Making noise is the bonus.

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So those are my calls, but this

show's never just about me.

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Let's open the gates

to the digital terrace

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This is the part of the

show that belongs to you.

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You send in your takes via SpeakPipe,

in the Spotify comments, or even on the

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Discord, and I answer them straight.

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No filter.

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Let's get into what came in

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We got one absolute belted this

week from Ava, and fair play to him.

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He did the whole list, so we're going

through it properly point by point.

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Ava, mate, you did not hold back.

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Let's go.

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Ava's predictions.

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Bundesliga, fourth.

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His reasoning, Leverkusen ended last

season in unbelievable form, and

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he doesn't trust Demichelis yet.

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DFB-Pokal, semifinals.

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And the Champions League, I'm reading

this word for word, with our luck, we

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get Arsenal, Real Madrid, and Inter.

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We somehow scrape through two of

them, and then PSG knocks us out

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Okay, a few things, Ava.

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On the Bundesliga, you've got us one

spot below my third, and honestly,

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the don't trust Demichelis yet

bit is the fairest doubt going.

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He is completely unproven in this league.

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If he needs a few months to

bed his ideas in, fourth in

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very, very live on the Pockau.

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Look at that, you and me

in lockstep semifinals.

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The terrace and the host agreeing for once

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But on the Champions League, I've

got to jump in with the anorak on.

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There are no groups anymore.

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It's the new league phase.

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One giant 36-team table.

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Eight games, everyone gets a

nasty run of fixtures, so the

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good news is you literally can't

get drawn into a group of death.

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The bad news?

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You might cop Arsenal, Real, and Inter

anyway, just spread across your eight.

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And going out to PSG in the knockouts?

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Mate, I'd bite hand off for that run.

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The big one was sacking Werner.

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Madness?

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Eva's verdict is short

and very much not sweet.

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Total madness, especially because

the replacement isn't a big name.

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And that right there is the crux of

the nerves across this whole fan base.

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And it's not only that we sacked

a manager who got us third.

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It's who we brought in to replace him.

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If the club had gone and landed

a marquee name, half this

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anxiety vanishes overnight.

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But here's the Red Bull

counterargument, and it's a real one.

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The club has never hired on reputation.

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Nagelsmann was a kid nobody

outside Germany had heard of.

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Rose, March, the models always have

been system fit over star power.

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Demichelis fits that mold to, to a T.

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Does it guarantee anything?

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Of course not.

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But not a big name, and been

the Leipzig way for a decade.

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Eva, so I gently push back on that one

while completely respecting the nerves.

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Understandable.

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The awards, did we snub anyone?

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And who's got the most to prove?

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Now, this is Eva's coming straight for

my picks, and I respect the audacity.

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He reckons we should be

side-eyeing Baumgartner and Nusa.

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Says statistically they were fine, but in

too many games they just didn't turn up.

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And here's the spicy bit.

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He thinks Baumgartner as our main creator

might actually be limiting the attack

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So let me get this straight.

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I've just tipped Nusa for MVP and

Baumgartner for the Golden Boot, and

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Ava's out here calmly dismantling both.

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And you know what?

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On the didn't show up in the

big games point, that's fair.

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Both of them had quiet afternoons

when we badly needed a spark.

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And raw numbers can paper

right over all of that.

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But the Baumgartner as a break idea is

the one that's really got me thinking.

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There's a version of that

argument that absolutely holds.

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If your creative hub wants the ball to

feet and slows the tempo in a damage

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Halil's side built to go vertical and

fast, that's a potential mismatch.

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Counterpoint.

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13 league goals and six assists

don't happen by accident.

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So my honest read is less drop

Baumgartner and more does his

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rhythm fit the new manager's tempo?

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And that, Eva, might be the best

question anyone's asked all summer.

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Come and take my job

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For Diamande watch, cash in or hold firm.

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Ava's completely unsentimental.

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Sell him, he calls Diamande our

best player, but says he just

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doesn't rate our chances enough

this season to justify holding on

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This is the cold, hard business

brain take, and the timing is spicy.

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Because as we're recording this,

Diomande's actually been left out

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of the training camp while the

Real Madrid situation gets thrashed

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out, and those talks have been on

again and off again all summer.

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So the club is clearly wrestling

with the exact thing you're saying.

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Where I'll push back, the logic

of we won't win anything, so

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cash in, can become a trap.

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You sell your best player, you

get weaker, you win even less,

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and it goes round and round.

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If we wanna keep him, it has to be

because we believe he makes us better,

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not just because the fee looks pretty.

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But I'm not going to

pretend it's clear cut.

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Ava, if the numbers are silly

enough, everybody has a price.

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In the open floor, Ava signs

off with a proper hot one.

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Niland is not a Leipzig-level goalkeeper

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Right, love the passion.

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But let me add some context, because

I think this one's a slight misread.

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Nyland isn't coming in

to be our number one.

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With Galacci off to Villarreal, the

gloves belong to Martine Vandervoort now.

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Twenty-four years old, the club

sees him as the long-term starter.

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Nyland's the experienced backup,

and a small detail worth knowing,

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he was one of the genuine heroes of

this summer's World Cup for Norway.

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Saved a penalty against Brazil, dragged

them all the way to the quarters.

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So as your number two,

that's serious cover.

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If he's starting a stack of league

games, yeah, something's gone wrong.

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But as insurance behind Vandervoort,

I'm more than happy with that.

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But of course, I can agree

that he should not be starting

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Massive thanks to Ava

for going all in there.

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That's exactly what this segment's for.

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Keep them coming.

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The terrace is always open.

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Now, before we bring our guest in, let's

turn our eyes to the pitch, because the

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new era kicks off sooner than you think

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Here it is, Dementielezer's

competitive debut.

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Not a friendly, not a photo op, the

real thing, and it's the DFB-Pokal

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first round away at Eintracht Trier

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Now on paper, this is a mismatch.

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Trier are a lower league side,

several divisions below us, on paper.

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But you know the German Cup.

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You know the first round.

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This competition eats big clubs

alive every single August.

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Hostile little ground, a team with

nothing to lose, a pitch that plays

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half a yard slower than we're used to.

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This is the definition of a banana skin.

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And it's a nightmare first

exam for a new manager.

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Win, and it's the bare minimum.

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Lose, and there was the sacking Werner

a mistake headlines write themselves

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before the leagues even started.

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So the pressure is quietly enormous.

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What am I watching for?

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Intensity from minute one.

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Demichelis promised us

aggressive front foot football.

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A cup tie against a lower league

opposition is the perfect place to

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prove the players have brought in.

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I don't want a nervy, cagey afternoon.

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I want us to go and suffocate them

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And that brings me to today's

player watch, the head-to-head.

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Two of our own, both with something

to prove, both fighting for the

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same real estate in the midfield.

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Rocco Reitz versus Arthur Vermeeren.

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Now, this may not be a direct

duel, of course, but I would

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love to see them both play.

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Reitz is the new signing, the man

I've tipped for signing of the

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season, arriving from Gladbach and

desperate to stamp his authority on

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that deep midfield role right away.

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Vermeeren's the incumbent, the one who

has to adapt to a brand new manager's

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demands or risk losing his spot.

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In De Mancelli's high press

system, whoever controls

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that pivot controls the team.

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So watch them closely.

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Who wins the ball back quicker?

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Who breaks the lines with the first pass?

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Who looks like he owns that shirt?

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This little duel could shape

our entire season, and it starts

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in a tiny stadium in Trier

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A proper first test then, and

speaking of a proper, I've got

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a brilliant guest waiting in the

wings, but first, 60 quick seconds

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Quick one, and it matters.

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You'll notice there's no advert here.

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That's on purpose.

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We wanna keep RBL Talk completely

free from corporate sponsors, no

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brand telling us what we can and can't

say, no agenda but yours and mine.

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But free doesn't mean it

costs nothing to make.

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There's hosting, there's

editing, there's the gear.

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So if you enjoy the show and you're

able to, there's a link in the

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show notes to support us directly.

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Even a small amount, it helps keep

things independent and keeps it ours.

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And stick around because coming up right

now, the man with the microphone outside

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the arena, the voice of the terraces

himself, Johannes Marten from For Fans.

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You do not wanna miss his predictions.

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Let's bring him in

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This is a big one, so let's get into it.

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Johannes Marten, welcome to RBL Talk.

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Johannes Martin: Thank

you for having me, Justin.

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Justin Crozer: For anyone who hasn't

seen your work with For Fans, tell our

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listeners who you are and what you do

with that microphone outside the arena.

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Johannes Martin: So as you

mentioned, my name is Johannes

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Martin, and, um, I've been…

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I joined For, uh, RB Fans, uh, I think

in: 2024

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like, okay guys, let's, let's put me

out from the, in front of the stadium.

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I'll interview the fans about topics,

news, stuff that's just interesting

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around the club or football in

general, around the Bundesliga, and

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that's how I basically got here.

295

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Justin Crozer: So how did you come,

uh, to support RB Leipzig first?

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Was it a specific match, a player, or

a moment that officially pulled you in?

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Johannes Martin: Yeah, it

was, uh, season: 2018

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I went, uh, with my back then girlfriend

and, uh, her father and, and son.

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They just invited me to Red Bull Arena.

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We watched a game against Freiburg.

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We won 2-1, and, and the atmosphere

was pretty good, and I was like, "Yeah,

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I, I gotta watch that more often."

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So that's how I got into RB Leipzig.

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Justin Crozer: So you're not just

in the crowd, you're working it,

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mic in hand, catching pre-game

predictions and full-time reactions.

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What's the energy actually like

from that vantage point, and how

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does the mood outside the arena

shift between big European night

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and a routine Bundesliga home game?

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Johannes Martin: It's

actually pretty interesting.

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You know, normal, I- I'd say, I, I'm

just gonna say, like, normal games

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against lower tier sides like Bochum

or something like that, you know,

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mid-table teams, it's, it's pretty chill.

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Not as many people,

not as crowded outside.

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People are more talkative.

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They're, they're, they're

expecting a pretty comfortable win.

316

: 00:18:01

You know, just having a good time.

317

: 00:18:03

But when it comes to big games,

Dortmund, Bayern, or, or even a Champions

318

: 00:18:07

League night, that's when people

are, are, are different, you know.

319

: 00:18:10

Bigger crowds.

320

: 00:18:11

People are more, uh, excited.

321

: 00:18:13

They don't know what they're gonna get.

322

: 00:18:14

We might lose, we might draw.

323

: 00:18:16

Uh, sometimes even against Bayern,

a draw is considered a win, so, uh,

324

: 00:18:21

you know, you can really feel it.

325

: 00:18:23

I, sometimes I, I get the

feeling, especially when we play

326

: 00:18:25

against Dortmund, for example,

I can, I can feel it in the air.

327

: 00:18:28

I don't know how, what it

is, but I can, I can feel it.

328

: 00:18:30

The tension is, i- is there

329

: 00:18:33

Justin Crozer: Do you get many questions,

like when you do your work, do you

330

: 00:18:37

just go straight ahead of what you

feel like asking on the spot, or do

331

: 00:18:41

the people ask you certain things that

they'd like you to cover, whether that's

332

: 00:18:45

for fans or whether that's, uh, the

people around the stadium themselves?

333

: 00:18:50

Johannes Martin: No.

334

: 00:18:51

Usually I prepare all

the questions myself.

335

: 00:18:54

Um, I try to do some research about recent

topics or stuff that might be interesting,

336

: 00:18:59

especially I, I'm not just, uh, thinking

inside of the RB Leipzig bubble, I'm

337

: 00:19:04

also trying to ask questions which would

be interesting for people that are not

338

: 00:19:10

fans of RB Leipzig, for example- Mm

339

: 00:19:11

or, uh, which are interesting topics

about the Bundesliga in general, where it

340

: 00:19:16

is interesting to get some, uh, thoughts

and opinions from RB Leipzig fans on.

341

: 00:19:21

So, um, and usually people

don't ask me any questions.

342

: 00:19:25

They … I'm, I'm just standing

there going straight to the

343

: 00:19:29

people and, and I'm like, "You

wanna, uh, answer some questions?

344

: 00:19:33

It's like, you know, for, for

today, interesting stuff," and

345

: 00:19:36

I'm just straight up shooting

out my questions, and that's it.

346

: 00:19:40

Justin Crozer: Do you, uh, ever try to

do any away fans or anything like that?

347

: 00:19:44

Johannes Martin: Yeah, I've been

thinking about it, but I, I don't

348

: 00:19:46

think I'm gonna do away fans ever.

349

: 00:19:48

Uh, one thing that I was

thinking about sometimes is, uh,

350

: 00:19:52

interviewing our fans outside of

away stadiums, you know what I mean?

351

: 00:19:56

Mm.

352

: 00:19:56

But it's a little bit more difficult,

uh, because I'm not gonna say you

353

: 00:20:01

have to watch out more as an RB

fan, but you know, I, I don't wanna

354

: 00:20:04

provoke, pr- provocate, provocate?

355

: 00:20:08

You know, you know what I'm saying, right?

356

: 00:20:09

I know what you mean, yeah.

357

: 00:20:10

Um, trying to keep it respectful

and, and- Mm … that's why I'm just

358

: 00:20:14

doing it at home games, you know?

359

: 00:20:16

Justin Crozer: Do you have any ground that

you feel is, uh, for, not hostile towards,

360

: 00:20:22

uh, us RB Leipzig fans specifically,

but a ground that you feel is just a

361

: 00:20:26

hostile environment for an away fan

to, uh, to go and play, the same thing

362

: 00:20:31

you would say maybe for a RB Leipzig

player to play in, in that stadium.

363

: 00:20:35

Is there any type of ground that

gives you sort of that vibe that

364

: 00:20:38

it's a hostile environment as

a away player and an away fan?

365

: 00:20:42

Johannes Martin: Yeah, first club that

comes to mind is Frankfurt, obviously.

366

: 00:20:45

Uh, first of all, for, for, as a fan

because the, the separation, there,

367

: 00:20:50

there's no real separation, you know?

368

: 00:20:51

You're walking in with the, with the home

fans and, you know, it, it's, it, it can

369

: 00:20:57

feel a little bit hostile and intimidating

and, um, the atmosphere there obviously

370

: 00:21:01

is pretty good, and, uh, I, I think it,

it can also affect the players as well.

371

: 00:21:06

Mm.

372

: 00:21:08

Justin Crozer: Across all the match

days you've covered, what stands out as

373

: 00:21:10

your most memorable moment, either as

a supporter yourself or a reaction you

374

: 00:21:14

caught on camera that you'll never forget?

375

: 00:21:19

Johannes Martin: Um, as a supporter

I would say, uh, it was, for, for me

376

: 00:21:23

it's still Champions League 2019, 2020

when we dr- uh, managed to come back

377

: 00:21:29

against Benfica and for the first time

achieved a player p- p- knockout stage.

378

: 00:21:35

You know, we came out of the

group for the first time.

379

: 00:21:37

We, we were 2-0 down and, and made a

comeback in, in, like, stoppage time.

380

: 00:21:42

It was pretty crazy.

381

: 00:21:44

I would also say, uh, away in Leverkusen

in '24, '25 season where we were also

382

: 00:21:50

2-0 down and then even managed to win

3-2 and, and we- Yeah … canceled

383

: 00:21:54

their 51 game unbeaten streak.

384

: 00:21:56

That was a crazy game.

385

: 00:21:58

Absolutely.

386

: 00:21:59

Also, last year, uh, first away win in

Frankfurt, we were crazy good in that

387

: 00:22:03

game, and Frankfurt had a bad time.

388

: 00:22:05

So yeah, those were some

very memorable games for me.

389

: 00:22:08

But I'm, I'm not really, uh,

filming during games, you know?

390

: 00:22:12

I'm, I'm, I'm actually- Mm … never

really filming during games.

391

: 00:22:14

Uh, there, there was a time where

I tried to do some kind of vlogs,

392

: 00:22:18

but for me it's like I don't wanna

film during the games, you know?

393

: 00:22:21

Mm.

394

: 00:22:21

I do the work before, but as soon

as the whistle starts, I'm like,

395

: 00:22:25

"I wanna be focused into the game,

and I wanna feel the atmosphere."

396

: 00:22:28

And yeah, that's my little place where

I still wanna be a supporter, you know?

397

: 00:22:32

Justin Crozer: Absolutely.

398

: 00:22:33

Uh, a quick note on that.

399

: 00:22:35

What's, what are the laws like when

it comes to, uh, I, I mean, I'm

400

: 00:22:38

not too sure if you'll know, but

maybe just a rough idea, what it's

401

: 00:22:41

like to record, uh, during a game?

402

: 00:22:44

Like, uh, is, uh, security

present and, uh, be, are careful,

403

: 00:22:48

uh, for people recording?

404

: 00:22:49

I mean, obviously goals and celebrations

or something like that might be a bit

405

: 00:22:52

okay, but just in general, like, is

there any sort of, uh, laws or anything

406

: 00:22:57

like that which prevents people or are

a bit worried about that or anything?

407

: 00:23:01

Johannes Martin: Mm, let's not say…

408

: 00:23:03

You know, recording for private

purposes, nobody will, will do anything.

409

: 00:23:06

No security will, will, uh-

Mm … hinder you from recording.

410

: 00:23:10

Um, it's, it's just if you start

uploading, um, game scenes and all

411

: 00:23:14

that, because the rights inside the

stadium, everything that happens

412

: 00:23:17

inside the stadium, it's not a,

it's a closed environment, you know?

413

: 00:23:19

You pay- Mm … to go there.

414

: 00:23:21

The, the picture rights are, uh, in

the DFL and Bundesliga, so they can

415

: 00:23:26

take your videos down and strike

you for copyright, uh, purposes.

416

: 00:23:30

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

417

: 00:23:31

That's, that's one thing I'm careful

of when I do my watch alongs, uh,

418

: 00:23:34

for people that do follow my podcast

and channels, is that I never,

419

: 00:23:37

uh, have the tele- game televised.

420

: 00:23:38

I, I will do, for instance, the

DFB-Pokal, I, I will, um, for round one

421

: 00:23:43

it's never televised in Au- at least in

Australia, so I have a web link which

422

: 00:23:47

you can go to DFB Play and have a look.

423

: 00:23:49

But again, I'm not too sure for

everyone around the world that

424

: 00:23:51

listens and watches the show.

425

: 00:23:53

So-

426

: 00:23:53

Johannes Martin: Yeah

427

: 00:23:54

… Justin Crozer: um, you know, I

always say, you know, make sure you

428

: 00:23:56

double check your, um, you know,

your local laws and things like that.

429

: 00:23:59

Johannes Martin: Yes.

430

: 00:24:00

Justin Crozer: Um, just before I

move on to the next question, is,

431

: 00:24:02

was there a reaction that you caught

on camera that you'll never forget?

432

: 00:24:05

Um, like maybe with a fan or, or a RB

Leipzig, um, player or anything like that?

433

: 00:24:11

Johannes Martin: I'm, I'm … If I'm

thinking maybe, maybe in the interview

434

: 00:24:15

there was a fan who was like he … It

was actually he agreed to an interview,

435

: 00:24:20

and it was like the last game of a season.

436

: 00:24:22

I can't remember if it was '24 or '25.

437

: 00:24:25

But, um, I asked … That was the question

of the day where I asked the people, "How

438

: 00:24:29

many games did you visit this season?"

439

: 00:24:31

And he was like, "Yeah,

that's my first one."

440

: 00:24:33

And I was like, "Damn."

441

: 00:24:34

And he was like, "Yeah,

that's my first one ever."

442

: 00:24:36

Oh, wow.

443

: 00:24:36

And he actually wasn't, uh, from Leipzig.

444

: 00:24:39

He was from Aachen, which is like, I

think, like 400 or 500 kilometers away.

445

: 00:24:43

Was pretty funny to interview

him his first game ever.

446

: 00:24:46

Uh, yeah, something like that.

447

: 00:24:48

Some- sometimes I get some

funny reactions, but Yeah,

448

: 00:24:53

nothing that I can't…

449

: 00:24:55

Yeah, that comes to mind right now.

450

: 00:24:57

Justin Crozer: That's all right, Johannes.

451

: 00:24:58

You hear more raw, unfiltered

fan opinion than almost anyone.

452

: 00:25:01

Heading into the season, what's

the overall temperature out there?

453

: 00:25:04

Is the fan base optimistic,

nervous, or split?

454

: 00:25:08

Johannes Martin: From…

455

: 00:25:09

Sometimes I get, um, Instagram DMs

from people who just, they just wanna

456

: 00:25:13

talk and get my opinion, especially

now in a, a season break, you know?

457

: 00:25:17

Uh, sometimes I make videos where I give

my opinion, especially, uh, you know,

458

: 00:25:20

from the, um, trainer, trainer change.

459

: 00:25:23

Um, some people were worried about,

uh, cutting off Ole Werner, but I

460

: 00:25:29

think most people now are pretty

optimistic about the new coach.

461

: 00:25:33

And I think the, the overall, um, feeling

for the fans is optimism, you know?

462

: 00:25:39

I think, I think the fans are, are

thinking it's gonna be a good season.

463

: 00:25:44

Justin Crozer: Hopefully

you are right about that.

464

: 00:25:46

Uh, but the Digital Terraces, so which

is all the people that listen to, I

465

: 00:25:50

know, the RBL talk and, and whatnot,

they're, they're all, they're m- mixture

466

: 00:25:54

of split, um, before th- this episode.

467

: 00:25:57

So, uh, some people were, you know,

happy that Ole Werner was gone.

468

: 00:26:01

Some people are, are a bit cautious

about Martin Demichelis, which we'll

469

: 00:26:04

get onto that in just a second.

470

: 00:26:06

But the one thing that we can all agree

on, at least on, uh, uh, the Digital

471

: 00:26:09

Terrace side of things, is that, uh, how

the club handled the Ole Werner situation

472

: 00:26:14

was a little bit messy and probably

could have done a little bit better.

473

: 00:26:18

Johannes Martin: Yeah.

474

: 00:26:18

Yeah.

475

: 00:26:18

That's also, uh, what I've been hearing

from different sources, uh, from

476

: 00:26:23

people which are closer to the club.

477

: 00:26:25

Um, I think they, they handled it

internally, they handled it pretty good.

478

: 00:26:30

Mm.

479

: 00:26:30

But what got to the outside

was very messy, and that's what

480

: 00:26:33

I'm, you know, what shed a bad

light about the whole situation.

481

: 00:26:37

I think internally they were very clear

about how- Mm … how things will be going

482

: 00:26:42

and how, uh, he's gonna exit the club.

483

: 00:26:45

But, you know, word spread out and, yeah.

484

: 00:26:48

You know how journalism

is sometimes, you know?

485

: 00:26:50

You have to make it up.

486

: 00:26:51

Absolutely.

487

: 00:26:51

Yeah.

488

: 00:26:52

It's all about earning money

at that point, you know?

489

: 00:26:54

You can make a big story

about it and, yeah.

490

: 00:26:58

Justin Crozer: Exactly.

491

: 00:26:58

Um, so the club finished third

and sacked Ole Werner anyway.

492

: 00:27:02

When they then brought in Martin

Demichelis, an outsider to the Red Bull

493

: 00:27:05

system, when you put the mic in the fans'

faces, what's the verdict on the terraces?

494

: 00:27:10

Excitement, confusion, or prove it?

495

: 00:27:12

Have you, have you heard from any

lately or at any maybe training

496

: 00:27:16

ground, uh, or anything like

that, open fan days or anything?

497

: 00:27:19

Johannes Martin: I, I didn't have the

chance to do interviews yet because

498

: 00:27:22

obviously the season is starting in a

few weeks- Mm … but, uh, I've been to

499

: 00:27:26

the test games and, um, what people have

been talking with me about is, uh, some

500

: 00:27:32

people are unsure about him especially.

501

: 00:27:35

You know, Dimitrios wasn't a

very well-known name before we-

502

: 00:27:39

Mm … brought him into our club.

503

: 00:27:41

But I think also that's, that's also

a chance that he has, and the way it

504

: 00:27:46

went with his clubs was, for me it's

still optimistic even though he didn't

505

: 00:27:50

manage to, to, uh, uh, to hold the, the,

you know, even though he got relegated

506

: 00:27:55

with, um, Mallorca I think it was, uh-

507

: 00:27:58

Justin Crozer: Yeah

508

: 00:27:59

Johannes Martin: I, I still

think it's a good one.

509

: 00:28:02

It's- Mm … it's a chance, you know?

510

: 00:28:04

Justin Crozer: Yeah, absolutely.

511

: 00:28:05

Like, there's some things that, it,

I mean, I'm a little bit cautious,

512

: 00:28:10

but I, I, I back the club to do the

right thing, uh, i- in the end, and

513

: 00:28:14

trust what, who they've, you know,

brought in and things like that.

514

: 00:28:17

But there's a couple of things when I

looked at it from his systems, it was

515

: 00:28:20

a bit more like, uh, the River Plate

way that we'll be looking at how things

516

: 00:28:24

will be set up in a, in a 4-2-3-1 using

our wide wingers, possibly inverting

517

: 00:28:29

more than st- pushing out wide.

518

: 00:28:31

Um, and using, you know, like Raum

and, and Baku on the outsides,

519

: 00:28:35

um, for our width, which is what

we normally did a lot anyway.

520

: 00:28:39

Um, and, uh, speaking on players, uh,

the squad's still taking shape as we

521

: 00:28:45

record this, but there's a real mix of

new and returning faces in the picture,

522

: 00:28:48

uh, like Maxim, uh, Maxim Esteve, um,

Brian Gruda is coming back, uh, Rocco

523

: 00:28:54

Reitz, Abdul Kane, uh, Sulman Sani,

uh, Abadel Thomas, uh, Sambo Kanati.

524

: 00:29:01

Um, of that group, who, who are the

fans most curious or most excited about?

525

: 00:29:06

And is there anyone the terraces

are quietly worried about?

526

: 00:29:09

And with that window still open,

is there a position you're hearing

527

: 00:29:12

fans say we need to still fix?

528

: 00:29:14

Johannes Martin: I think people

are very happy that, uh, Brian

529

: 00:29:17

Gruda is, uh, still with us.

530

: 00:29:20

Mm-hmm.

531

: 00:29:20

Like, he extended his loan.

532

: 00:29:22

Because I think he's gonna be a

crucial player for the next season.

533

: 00:29:25

Yeah.

534

: 00:29:25

Uh, I'm very happy about Maxim

Esteve, uh, because he looks like

535

: 00:29:30

a very solid, um, uh, center back,

and we need that in our defense.

536

: 00:29:35

Mm-hmm.

537

: 00:29:36

If we're gonna play the way, uh,

Dimitrios is gonna play, we need,

538

: 00:29:38

we need very solid center backs.

539

: 00:29:40

Fast, you know, big physicality.

540

: 00:29:43

I, I think he's gonna be, he's gonna

be very crucial for the season.

541

: 00:29:49

What I've been hearing and also what

is my feeling, we need to, uh, improve

542

: 00:29:53

our, uh, attack, our strikers, you know.

543

: 00:29:56

Romelu for me- Mm … he's gonna

profit from the new system.

544

: 00:29:59

Because when he was at

Goztepe, he was a counter,

545

: 00:30:02

counterattack s- uh, str- striker.

546

: 00:30:05

Most of his goals were scored, like,

I think the statistic was, like, 20

547

: 00:30:08

seconds after, uh, winning the ball,

so perfect, perfect counter striker.

548

: 00:30:13

For me, Konrad Harder is not gonna

work in this, in, in the squad.

549

: 00:30:18

Mm.

550

: 00:30:18

That's my opinion.

551

: 00:30:19

I think he's, his, his skill

set is too low, you know.

552

: 00:30:23

Okay, he can run, his mentality is

okay, but, you know, technical-wise,

553

: 00:30:29

footballing ability-wise, he's very

limited, and I think that's, that's

554

: 00:30:33

not gonna cut it for, for the season,

so we definitely need a striker.

555

: 00:30:37

I think we also need a winger

now that Diomande is very…

556

: 00:30:41

He's gonna go, you know.

557

: 00:30:42

Mm.

558

: 00:30:42

The, the Real Madrid

deal is pretty much done.

559

: 00:30:46

So yeah, I think we, we

need to stack up our attack.

560

: 00:30:50

Justin Crozer: You mentioned,

uh, a couple of players there.

561

: 00:30:52

Ob- obviously, Diomande one,

and, uh, Romelu another.

562

: 00:30:56

But I've, uh … We do some awards,

uh, for this podcast at the end of the

563

: 00:31:00

season, and I've gone ahead and, uh,

taken a crack on who I'm gonna pick,

564

: 00:31:04

so I'm probably gonna get these wrong,

so we can all laugh, uh, next year in,

565

: 00:31:08

uh, in about May sometime or something

like that, see, uh, how well we do.

566

: 00:31:13

And before I get your, uh, opinions

on those, I just wanted to say, do

567

: 00:31:17

the fans agree David Raum was our

player of the season last year,

568

: 00:31:21

and Yan Diomande sweeping both, uh,

signing and breakout of the season?

569

: 00:31:25

With all the transfer noise around him,

is the fan base bracing to lose him, or

570

: 00:31:28

do they really wanna try and keep him?

571

: 00:31:31

Johannes Martin: I think, uh, with all

the noise and the stories that came out,

572

: 00:31:36

um, during this transfer, uh, odyssey,

I'm gonna say, I think fans are happy

573

: 00:31:41

that it turned out the way it did.

574

: 00:31:43

We are getting a lot of money.

575

: 00:31:45

I mean- Mm … it's gonna be

around, like, 135 million.

576

: 00:31:49

That's gonna be a lot of money.

577

: 00:31:50

It's gonna fix at least, uh,

the problems that we had.

578

: 00:31:53

We had to generate-

Mm … like 100 in sales, so-

579

: 00:31:56

Justin Crozer: Yeah

580

: 00:31:56

… Johannes Martin: that one is fixed.

581

: 00:31:58

So we can buy some new

players with that money.

582

: 00:32:01

I think it's okay.

583

: 00:32:02

And I rather take the money now, even

though he performed outstandingly well

584

: 00:32:08

for his age and for his first season.

585

: 00:32:10

It's sad to lose him after just one

season, but let's look on the bright side.

586

: 00:32:15

We got to Champions League.

587

: 00:32:16

He's gonna bring us- Mm … a lot

of money, and it's not gonna be some

588

: 00:32:20

troublemaking, "I don't wanna play here.

589

: 00:32:22

I'm being forced, uh, uh,

to stay at this club" thing.

590

: 00:32:26

Mm.

591

: 00:32:26

I rather have it this way.

592

: 00:32:27

Even though he's gonna go and we won't

have him, I rather have it this way.

593

: 00:32:31

It's, it's a lot cleaner, you know?

594

: 00:32:34

Justin Crozer: It is.

595

: 00:32:34

We don't want another, like, Xavi 2.0,

596

: 00:32:37

'cause at the end- Yes … of that … He

was a fantastic player, don't get me

597

: 00:32:39

wrong, Xavi Simons, but, you know, at

the end of that you could just tell

598

: 00:32:43

that he just didn't wanna be there.

599

: 00:32:45

Um, it was just getting a little

bit toxic, a little bit out of hand.

600

: 00:32:48

And, um, I'm not too sure if, if

601

: 00:32:50

'Cause obviously we only go by

what the media's willing to give

602

: 00:32:53

us and, and things like that.

603

: 00:32:54

As you know, there's a, a bit

going on in the football journalism

604

: 00:32:58

world from, uh, our Sky, you know,

Germany, uh, audience, along with

605

: 00:33:02

other people in, uh, journalism.

606

: 00:33:05

Um, as, as listeners and

yourself would be quite aware.

607

: 00:33:08

Um, it's, it does seem that a Diomande

deal is going to go ahead, but is he

608

: 00:33:15

really l- like doesn't wanna, wanna

be there, or is that something that if

609

: 00:33:19

he … Uh, obviously this is pure spec

you might not know yourself, but if- Mm

610

: 00:33:24

… Diomande doesn't get to go, and say,

until the, the winter transfer window,

611

: 00:33:28

will, will he, will he re- like relish it?

612

: 00:33:30

Will he still wanna stay, or will

he end up just being, you know, not

613

: 00:33:34

wanting to be there and, and we'll

have one of those on our hands?

614

: 00:33:38

Johannes Martin: I think there's always

gonna be the question, um, if, if there's

615

: 00:33:43

gonna be a game where he underperforms

or something like that, it, it, it can,

616

: 00:33:46

it will always be somewhere around, uh,

that people are gonna say, "Ah, yeah,

617

: 00:33:51

that's because he didn't get to go."

618

: 00:33:53

You know?

619

: 00:33:53

Mm.

620

: 00:33:53

It's always gonna be laid out

negatively, um, even if he would…

621

: 00:33:59

I, I hope he would still play

the w- the same way and give the

622

: 00:34:02

same energy, work the same way.

623

: 00:34:05

You never know, though.

624

: 00:34:06

If he…

625

: 00:34:07

I think he really wants

to go to Real Madrid.

626

: 00:34:09

If we're being honest-

Mm … come on, it's, it's like

627

: 00:34:11

the biggest club in the world.

628

: 00:34:12

It's like one of the most-

Yeah … prestigious clubs.

629

: 00:34:15

If you get the chance to go there,

if they want you, if they go-

630

: 00:34:18

willing to spend that- Mm … amount

of m- that, that, the amount of

631

: 00:34:20

money, you are also gonna push it.

632

: 00:34:23

And let's be honest, if you

come to RB Leipzig, you know

633

: 00:34:28

you can leave when the money…

634

: 00:34:30

If, you know, if the offer is good

enough, they're gonna let you go.

635

: 00:34:33

Mm.

636

: 00:34:33

That's also something that they probably

promised him when they signed him.

637

: 00:34:36

They were, they were gonna like,

"Okay, if you gonna, you know, if

638

: 00:34:40

you're, uh, if, if you're gonna play

that way, get the numbers, you know?"

639

: 00:34:45

Mm.

640

: 00:34:46

"If your evaluation goes up, then

we can let you go," you know?

641

: 00:34:49

It, it's a good-

Mm … deal for both sides.

642

: 00:34:52

Justin Crozer: Absolutely agree.

643

: 00:34:53

Romulo picked up our Needs Improvement

award, uh, last, at the end of the season.

644

: 00:34:58

Is that a fair reflection of

the mood on the ground, or do

645

: 00:35:01

the fans see it differently?

646

: 00:35:02

And who's your pick for the player

with the most to prove this year?

647

: 00:35:07

Johannes Martin: Wait, you,

you gotta explain to me.

648

: 00:35:08

I didn't, I don't understand

what the word means though.

649

: 00:35:11

Justin Crozer: Okay.

650

: 00:35:11

So that's okay.

651

: 00:35:12

So Romelu, um, obviously our player,

picked up our Needs Improvement award.

652

: 00:35:16

So, um- Ah … for, for, for us it,

it was underperformed as a striker.

653

: 00:35:20

Johannes Martin: Yeah, yeah.

654

: 00:35:20

Okay.

655

: 00:35:21

But he- Okay, I get it

656

: 00:35:21

… Justin Crozer: yeah.

657

: 00:35:22

Johannes Martin: Um, yeah.

658

: 00:35:24

Yeah.

659

: 00:35:24

Yeah, yeah.

660

: 00:35:25

Yes.

661

: 00:35:26

Yes.

662

: 00:35:27

Even though he had some moments,

but I think he was underperforming.

663

: 00:35:31

It was underwhelming.

664

: 00:35:32

I expected more, and I think he can do

way better, and that was also the system

665

: 00:35:38

from Ole Werner that did not fit him.

666

: 00:35:41

It just didn't fit him.

667

: 00:35:42

He was used as the, uh, I don't

know the English word for it, but

668

: 00:35:45

in Germany we call it Wanspieler.

669

: 00:35:47

It's like you're, you're

the, the nine who…

670

: 00:35:50

You're, you're just saving

the ball, playing it so other

671

: 00:35:53

people can make room, you know?

672

: 00:35:55

You're drawing out- Yeah … the defense.

673

: 00:35:56

Sometimes y- you can do a header

or something like that, but most

674

: 00:35:59

of the times you're just used

to, uh, get ground, you know?

675

: 00:36:03

Mm-hmm.

676

: 00:36:03

And I think that's just not the

way he wants to play and, uh,

677

: 00:36:06

not the way he, he played at

Goztepe where he was really good.

678

: 00:36:10

So yeah, it was an underperformance.

679

: 00:36:13

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

680

: 00:36:13

Romelu was obviously, as you said,

he wasn't helped by the Ole Werner

681

: 00:36:17

tactical setup and, and as, the way

I looked at it, he was being more

682

: 00:36:21

used as like a, a false nine holding,

uh, center forward to, you know, uh,

683

: 00:36:25

help, uh, with the build-up play.

684

: 00:36:27

But he wasn't really able to

get himself in good positions

685

: 00:36:29

to finish that final product.

686

: 00:36:31

And when he was, there was slight points

in there where he wasn't able to complete.

687

: 00:36:37

That's part on him, but a lot of it

was to do with the system itself.

688

: 00:36:41

It didn't give him any favors whatsoever.

689

: 00:36:43

Johannes Martin: I wouldn't

even be too harsh on that.

690

: 00:36:45

You know, uh, we have to see a

player from the player's perspective.

691

: 00:36:49

You are playing in a system

that doesn't fit you.

692

: 00:36:51

M- maybe a role, a role that you

don't even like to play that much,

693

: 00:36:54

where you don't feel confident,

and all that stuff builds up and

694

: 00:36:58

leads also to you not playing up

to your full potential, you know?

695

: 00:37:01

Mm-hmm.

696

: 00:37:02

Of course, he did not perform well in

that system, but I think it's also because

697

: 00:37:07

it just isn't his system, you know?

698

: 00:37:09

And that's- Mm … that's when

you lose confidence, do things

699

: 00:37:11

differently, do different decisions,

and I wanna see him in this system.

700

: 00:37:16

I think this season can

be very, very different.

701

: 00:37:20

Justin Crozer: Absolutely, and I do

hope that he at least, uh, is, uh, going

702

: 00:37:25

to be in a better system for himself.

703

: 00:37:28

Even if he doesn't show it on the s-

on the stat sheet, you know, like the

704

: 00:37:30

goals or the assists or anything like

that, I just wanna see a, a more rounded,

705

: 00:37:34

better player, which going back from his

Goztepe days, that was the p- what we all

706

: 00:37:39

expected to, to gain, uh, last season.

707

: 00:37:42

So, um, I've also got, uh, another,

uh, one here f- an unsung hero,

708

: 00:37:46

and, uh, for, if you need me to

explain that, let me know, but- No,

709

: 00:37:49

Johannes Martin: no, no.

710

: 00:37:50

I, I, I understand.

711

: 00:37:51

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

712

: 00:37:51

Nicolas Seiw- Nicolas Seiwald took

our Unsung Hero award last term,

713

: 00:37:54

and looking at the current squad, do

you feel that the man ma- making…

714

: 00:37:58

Sorry.

715

: 00:37:58

The man marking system, uh, tick

that doesn't get enough credit?

716

: 00:38:03

Johannes Martin: Actually,

unsung hero fits him very good.

717

: 00:38:05

I think he was, he

improved a lot last season.

718

: 00:38:08

He also had to step up last season.

719

: 00:38:11

Um, now that Savas Schlager is gone,

he also needs to step up a lot more.

720

: 00:38:15

He's, he's gonna be basically our, our,

uh, uh, always playing six, you know?

721

: 00:38:19

The holding six.

722

: 00:38:20

Mm.

723

: 00:38:21

Yeah, yeah.

724

: 00:38:22

I think, uh, this season

he can improve even better.

725

: 00:38:25

He's gonna be a key player,

and he has to deliver.

726

: 00:38:29

Justin Crozer: We're back

in the Champions League.

727

: 00:38:30

What does that mean to the fan base after

missing out, and what's the realistic

728

: 00:38:33

ambition the terraces are setting?

729

: 00:38:35

Survive the league phase or

actually make some noise?

730

: 00:38:39

Johannes Martin: I think

for the fans it's big.

731

: 00:38:41

Um, for me it's also big.

732

: 00:38:42

I'm excited.

733

: 00:38:42

I want some good matches.

734

: 00:38:44

I'm, I'm planning to go on

some away games as well.

735

: 00:38:47

Um, I want some exciting games, and

realistically I'm thinking maybe

736

: 00:38:53

playoffs, but I don't think we're

gonna make the knockout phase.

737

: 00:38:57

It's just my gut tells me

we, we're not gonna make it

738

: 00:39:01

Justin Crozer: Is that mayb- is

that due to just being a new system

739

: 00:39:04

and, uh, new players learning

each other or anything like that?

740

: 00:39:07

Or is that just maybe we're

not at that stage yet?

741

: 00:39:10

Um, I mean, just being in the knockouts

would be fantastic, uh, even if

742

: 00:39:14

we dropped out- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

743

: 00:39:15

Sure … because we didn't make

it last time, as you, as you know.

744

: 00:39:17

Johannes Martin: Last time was a disaster.

745

: 00:39:19

We lost six games in a row.

746

: 00:39:20

That was crazy.

747

: 00:39:22

I think it's a combination of

the new coach, new players.

748

: 00:39:25

It's a…

749

: 00:39:26

Come on, I mean, so many new players.

750

: 00:39:28

Um, also three, three competitions at

the same time, that's also gonna be- Mm

751

: 00:39:33

… uh, harder on us No, I think, I think we

can make it to, to the playoffs, but m- I

752

: 00:39:41

just don't think we're gonna make the run.

753

: 00:39:42

I, what is it, round of

16 after the playoffs?

754

: 00:39:45

Round of 16, right?

755

: 00:39:46

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

756

: 00:39:46

Yeah.

757

: 00:39:46

I- if you get top, if you get top

eight, you go automatic to round of 16.

758

: 00:39:49

Yeah.

759

: 00:39:50

But if you don't, you get nine to 24.

760

: 00:39:52

It's the pl- um, the playoffs, yeah.

761

: 00:39:54

Johannes Martin: I think we can,

we can manage to get into the

762

: 00:39:56

playoffs, and then maybe two lucky

games and we'll do round of 16.

763

: 00:40:00

But I think the quality of the

teams in the Champions League

764

: 00:40:03

this season is also very high.

765

: 00:40:05

The teams which are qualified

already are very, very good.

766

: 00:40:09

Mm.

767

: 00:40:10

Um, and they're also buying new players.

768

: 00:40:13

They're, they're stacking up,

you know, the, the competition

769

: 00:40:15

in Europe right now is very high.

770

: 00:40:18

I just, I just don't see it.

771

: 00:40:20

I just don't see us reaching

round of 16, to be honest.

772

: 00:40:24

Justin Crozer: There's, uh, one

thing I wanna say, uh, just before

773

: 00:40:27

I, I go get your actual predictions.

774

: 00:40:30

Um, I mean, I know it's obviously

pre-season and absolutely anything can

775

: 00:40:33

change, but, um, about Brian Brobbey, I,

I wanted to, to quickly touch on that.

776

: 00:40:38

Now, would there be an option that

we get to keep him for a lot longer?

777

: 00:40:43

Because I did like what I saw.

778

: 00:40:44

I, I know I'm, I myself am very

glad that he's back, and I think

779

: 00:40:48

he provides great coverage as well,

especially when Diomande does leave.

780

: 00:40:53

Uh, what's the, what's the likelihood,

do you think, of, uh, us possibly

781

: 00:40:55

keeping him long-term from Brighton?

782

: 00:40:57

I think- Is that something

the club might look at?

783

: 00:40:59

Johannes Martin: I think the probability

of us buying him is, like, 90%.

784

: 00:41:03

Uh, if I'm not mistaken, uh, the, the

buy clause is, uh, activated at, like,

785

: 00:41:09

10 games or 15 games starting, starting

formation, so that's gonna be an easy one.

786

: 00:41:15

Mm.

787

: 00:41:15

We might even do that in

the league, to be honest.

788

: 00:41:18

And with, with the cup and

Champions League, he's gonna

789

: 00:41:21

start 15 games for sure.

790

: 00:41:22

Justin Crozer: Oh, easily.

791

: 00:41:24

Well, time to commit.

792

: 00:41:25

Give me your end of season

finish in all three.

793

: 00:41:28

The Bundesliga, where do we land?

794

: 00:41:29

DFB-Pokal, how far?

795

: 00:41:31

We bowed out in the quarters last year.

796

: 00:41:33

Can Demi Cheese go further?

797

: 00:41:35

And the Champions League,

how deep is the run?

798

: 00:41:37

I know we touched on that

a little bit already.

799

: 00:41:40

Johannes Martin: Okay.

800

: 00:41:40

Bundesliga, my gut tells me

we're gonna do third place again.

801

: 00:41:43

Borussia Dortmund made s-

very good, uh, transfers.

802

: 00:41:47

They are keeping key players,

keeping the, the, the coach.

803

: 00:41:51

Bayern, different galaxy,

eh, no chance in that one.

804

: 00:41:56

Third place is gonna be a very good,

uh, will be a very good result for

805

: 00:41:59

us, and I'm gonna expect that we do.

806

: 00:42:03

Cup is always, you know, how you, how

they say it, it has their own laws.

807

: 00:42:07

Um- Mm-hmm I think we can do semifinal.

808

: 00:42:11

It depends on the other big clubs.

809

: 00:42:13

If Bayern is gonna bail out s-

early again like they did in some

810

: 00:42:17

years prior, we might even do

the final and even take the cup.

811

: 00:42:20

We're always very dangerous in the cup

and, and one of the favorites to win it.

812

: 00:42:25

But I think it's gonna

be semifinal this year.

813

: 00:42:27

I, I don't think it's gonna be trophy.

814

: 00:42:29

And, and I, I also think it's

okay if we don't win a trophy.

815

: 00:42:32

Justin Crozer: Oh, absolutely.

816

: 00:42:33

There w- there was a few things, uh,

a couple years ago where, not, I'm not

817

: 00:42:38

saying the local fans, but just some

fans in general were a, a bit more

818

: 00:42:42

annoyed that, you know, we didn't win

a, win a trophy and things like that.

819

: 00:42:45

But, you know, a lot…

820

: 00:42:46

some people need to realize

is that, you know, we…

821

: 00:42:49

trophies are great to get along the way,

but we're not one of those clubs that will

822

: 00:42:52

always expect to win a trophy every year.

823

: 00:42:55

Um, and that we're not, you know, like

a glory hunting team, so to speak.

824

: 00:42:59

So, you know, when they come, enjoy them.

825

: 00:43:01

But, uh, you know, you've just

got to expect that we won't

826

: 00:43:04

always win a trophy every year.

827

: 00:43:08

Johannes Martin: Exactly.

828

: 00:43:09

All right

829

: 00:43:10

Justin Crozer: So what- Champions

League Yeah, yeah, exactly.

830

: 00:43:12

Yep

831

: 00:43:12

Johannes Martin: Yeah,

like I said, I, I'm…

832

: 00:43:14

It's gonna be playoffs.

833

: 00:43:14

I think we're gonna go

out in the playoffs.

834

: 00:43:17

It's gonna be fine.

835

: 00:43:18

Come on, we're gonna have eight games.

836

: 00:43:19

No, wait, how mu- how

much is the league phase?

837

: 00:43:21

Eight games?

838

: 00:43:22

Right.

839

: 00:43:23

And then two playoffs.

840

: 00:43:23

Justin Crozer: Uh, I…

841

: 00:43:24

Yeah, I believe so, yeah

842

: 00:43:25

Johannes Martin: 10 games.

843

: 00:43:26

Come on, that's gonna be fine.

844

: 00:43:27

Justin Crozer: Hmm.

845

: 00:43:29

So playoffs, who, who do you think

that will play in the playoffs?

846

: 00:43:31

Obviously, uh, that's a completely-

847

: 00:43:35

Johannes Martin: That's a

848

: 00:43:35

Justin Crozer: wide

one … different one 'cause, yeah.

849

: 00:43:37

'Cause I had a listener to, uh, to quote

Ava from the Di- uh, Digital Terrors, um,

850

: 00:43:42

he said that we would get, uh, knocked

out in the, uh, the knockouts as well,

851

: 00:43:47

but, uh, by PSG, of all, of all teams.

852

: 00:43:50

Um-

853

: 00:43:50

Johannes Martin: No, I don't

think it's gonna be PSG.

854

: 00:43:52

I think- Yeah … PSG's gonna do top

eight and go through automatically.

855

: 00:43:55

Justin Crozer: Mm.

856

: 00:43:55

Johannes Martin: I'm gonna

go with Galatasaray Istanbul.

857

: 00:43:57

You would expect us to beat

them, but we're not gonna do it.

858

: 00:44:00

Justin Crozer: Mm, especially if it's

played over there, especially at, like,

859

: 00:44:03

a, a first leg and whatnot as well.

860

: 00:44:05

That'd be very difficult.

861

: 00:44:08

What do the fans you interview

predict, and does it differ

862

: 00:44:11

from what your own head says?

863

: 00:44:13

Was the Terrors being too

optimistic or too harsh?

864

: 00:44:17

Johannes Martin: Hmm, I haven't had the

chance to, to interview the fans yet

865

: 00:44:20

because hasn't been a, a home game yet.

866

: 00:44:23

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

867

: 00:44:24

Johannes Martin: I think, I think the

pl- the fans are expecting us to finish

868

: 00:44:27

top four in the league, pretty sure.

869

: 00:44:29

Mm.

870

: 00:44:29

But I can also…

871

: 00:44:30

I also think that some fans expect us to,

to do round of 16 in the Champions League.

872

: 00:44:36

Pretty sure.

873

: 00:44:36

And majority of fans are also

hoping for a cup win this season.

874

: 00:44:41

Pretty sure.

875

: 00:44:42

Mm.

876

: 00:44:42

They're like, "Uh, maybe."

877

: 00:44:46

Justin Crozer: Uh, look, a, a, another

cup would always be, uh, fantastic.

878

: 00:44:49

I remember me g- me watching the first

cup final, my missus telling me to, you

879

: 00:44:54

know, be quiet, um, you know, and to put

it nicely, uh, me yelling and screaming

880

: 00:44:58

and the house down around about, like,

4:30 in the morning my local time.

881

: 00:45:01

So Yeah … uh, I'll never

forget our first, uh, cup win.

882

: 00:45:05

Johannes Martin: Yeah,

that was a crazy game.

883

: 00:45:07

Justin Crozer: Absolutely.

884

: 00:45:08

Uh, one player you think decides our

season for better or worse, who and why?

885

: 00:45:14

Johannes Martin: I'm gonna go with

our new center back, Max Till Estevao.

886

: 00:45:18

If he's gonna have a horror season, he's

gonna decide our season for the worst

887

: 00:45:23

because, uh, we are actually depending on

a very good line of defense this season

888

: 00:45:28

if we're gonna play this aggressive

attacking football again, the RB DNA.

889

: 00:45:33

If he's gonna do well, that means

we're not gonna concede as many goals.

890

: 00:45:37

We're gonna have a stable, uh, play, uh,

build up play, and, you know, I think

891

: 00:45:42

his position is gonna be very crucial.

892

: 00:45:43

He's gonna be a very crucial signing.

893

: 00:45:45

I, I don't think many people

realize how crucial he's gonna be.

894

: 00:45:48

Justin Crozer: Hmm.

895

: 00:45:50

I did like what I see.

896

: 00:45:51

I'm, I'm, I'm taking everything

that I see in these, uh, warm-up and

897

: 00:45:54

friendly games a, a grain of salt.

898

: 00:45:56

But everything I've seen from highlight

reels before we grabbed him from Burnley,

899

: 00:45:59

I believe it was- Yeah … and, uh, what

I've seen so far, fantastic center back.

900

: 00:46:04

I, I would almost say a possible

replacement for Willi Orban later on in

901

: 00:46:09

more terms of, uh, age, um, as obviously,

you know, Willi's getting on in the years.

902

: 00:46:15

Uh, but who do you think his strike

partner, uh, sorry, his, uh, defensive

903

: 00:46:18

partner would be, um, this season?

904

: 00:46:21

Johannes Martin: Has

to be Castello Lukeba.

905

: 00:46:23

We have to keep him.

906

: 00:46:23

We can't sell Lukeba because listen,

we were on the brink, on the verge

907

: 00:46:28

of, uh, letting Willi Orban go.

908

: 00:46:30

He had a offer from Saudi, and the only

reason he didn't get to, to leave was

909

: 00:46:36

because Abdul Kone, uh, got injured.

910

: 00:46:39

Mm.

911

: 00:46:39

Actually, i- if he wouldn't have

been injured, Willi Orban might have

912

: 00:46:42

been already gone from the club.

913

: 00:46:44

Okay.

914

: 00:46:44

And I think they want him gone

because he's just getting too old.

915

: 00:46:47

No disrespect- Mm … to him.

916

: 00:46:48

He's a legend, always performing

mentality-wise, you know, perfect and

917

: 00:46:52

everything, but he's getting old and

slow, and we have to face reality.

918

: 00:46:56

He's not gonna be a

key player this season.

919

: 00:46:59

He is not going to be that guy.

920

: 00:47:01

Mm.

921

: 00:47:01

In my opinion, Lukeba and Estevao

are gonna be the starters.

922

: 00:47:04

He's gonna be on the bench a lot of games

if nothing spectacular happens because he

923

: 00:47:10

can't keep up with the speed, you know?

924

: 00:47:12

Mm.

925

: 00:47:12

He's secure and everything, but we're

gonna have a different play style.

926

: 00:47:16

I'm pretty sure we're gonna have a…

927

: 00:47:18

We're gonna see higher

up, uh, center backs.

928

: 00:47:21

They're gonna be in, in the

box when we have corners.

929

: 00:47:24

Both are- Mm … very

strong with their head game.

930

: 00:47:27

So- You know?

931

: 00:47:29

Vide Orban is also strong

with that, but he also has to-

932

: 00:47:31

Mm … make the way back in time.

933

: 00:47:33

Justin Crozer: Yeah.

934

: 00:47:34

That would be his downfall would

be that tracking back speed.

935

: 00:47:38

So, uh, I, I think he has the

endurance to be able to do it, but

936

: 00:47:41

he's gonna get cau- caught too much

on the break if that's the case.

937

: 00:47:44

And-

938

: 00:47:45

Johannes Martin: Yeah

939

: 00:47:45

… Justin Crozer: I might, I do hope to

see him start a couple of games maybe

940

: 00:47:47

against like, uh, the, some of the lower,

lower teams, um, for rotation purposes.

941

: 00:47:51

Sure, sure.

942

: 00:47:52

But yeah, he's, he's not gonna be

able to do it, um, for the long term.

943

: 00:47:56

Johannes Martin: No, no, not.

944

: 00:47:57

Justin Crozer: So if you could bring

back one former RB Leipzig player

945

: 00:48:00

in their absolute prime and drop

them into our current starting 11

946

: 00:48:03

under Domenico Tedesco, or let's

just say, uh, at the start of the

947

: 00:48:06

season, who are you choosing and why?

948

: 00:48:09

Johannes Martin: Yeah.

949

: 00:48:09

It's gotta be Christopher Nkunku because

his position would be so needed right now.

950

: 00:48:14

Goddamn, if we had him right now in

his prime, we could even challenge

951

: 00:48:19

for, we could definitely challenge

for a cup, see a cup, and we, we, we

952

: 00:48:23

could challenge for going a little bit

deeper in the, uh, Champions League.

953

: 00:48:27

Might even, uh, quarterfinal, you know?

954

: 00:48:30

R- realistically talking, he

was so good, and his position

955

: 00:48:33

would be perfect right now.

956

: 00:48:35

We need somebody like

him in this position.

957

: 00:48:38

That would be amazing.

958

: 00:48:41

Justin Crozer: Who do

you think he'd replace?

959

: 00:48:43

That's the tough question.

960

: 00:48:44

Johannes Martin: I think he w- he would

play on the, uh, number 10 position,

961

: 00:48:48

replacing probably Brian Guira and

forcing him out on the wing again.

962

: 00:48:53

Mm.

963

: 00:48:54

Or even going on the wing himself, um,

replacing like Bakayoko for example.

964

: 00:49:00

Him with Nusa and, um, yeah, and Romelu

in, in, as number nine, I think deadly.

965

: 00:49:07

Could be very deadly.

966

: 00:49:08

And having Guira on the 10 or Ui Draogo.

967

: 00:49:11

I think if we had Nkunku right

now in his prime, damn, we

968

: 00:49:14

would be very dangerous team.

969

: 00:49:15

Justin Crozer: Where can everyone

find you, uh, The Four Fans and

970

: 00:49:18

your matchday content online?

971

: 00:49:21

Johannes Martin: Uh, on my,

my TikTok handle is @jjmarten.

972

: 00:49:24

That's where I upload all my videos.

973

: 00:49:25

Um, on Instagram my

handle is jjmartensports.

974

: 00:49:28

Same for YouTube.

975

: 00:49:30

That's where you basically

find all my, my content.

976

: 00:49:35

Yeah

977

: 00:49:37

Justin Crozer: And there it is,

the fan verdict on Demichalis,

978

: 00:49:40

the summer business, and Johannes'

predictions locked in on the record.

979

: 00:49:44

We'll be coming back to those

at the end of the season to

980

: 00:49:46

see whose crystal ball held up.

981

: 00:49:48

So screenshot them now.

982

: 00:49:49

Johannes, thank you for bringing the

real voice of the terraces to the show.

983

: 00:49:52

Go and give him a follow and

check out his work with For Fans.

984

: 00:49:56

All the links are down in the

description and in the show notes.

985

: 00:49:59

It's been a pleasure having Johannes

on to kick off the new season with us.

986

: 00:50:04

Johannes Martin: Been a pleasure too.

987

: 00:50:05

Thanks for having me.

988

: 00:50:07

Justin Crozer: And there it is, a

brilliant chat with Johannes and the

989

: 00:50:09

fan verdict locked in on the record.

990

: 00:50:12

So what did we take from today?

991

: 00:50:15

Three things.

992

: 00:50:17

One, the Demi Chilies era is a genuine

gamble, bold intent, real risk, and

993

: 00:50:22

the first proof points comes fast

away at Trier in the cup, where the

994

: 00:50:28

pressure's bigger than the opposition.

995

: 00:50:30

Two, my crystal ball calls are down.

996

: 00:50:34

Nusa for MVP, Bam Gardner for

the golden boot, and third place,

997

: 00:50:39

Pokal semis and Champions League

knockout run across the board.

998

: 00:50:44

And three, the transfer window's still

open and the Diamande situation is

999

: 00:50:49

the one that could reshape everything

: 1000

00:50:54,106 --> 00:50:54,936

now over to you.

: 1001

00:50:55,436 --> 00:50:57,846

Here's the question for the

Digital Terrace this week.

: 1002

00:50:58,456 --> 00:51:01,856

Do you back Demichelis or does

sacking Werner still sting?

: 1003

00:51:02,466 --> 00:51:03,466

Send me your take.

: 1004

00:51:03,746 --> 00:51:06,736

You'll have up to five minutes

of audio on SpeakPipe, or drop a

: 1005

00:51:06,756 --> 00:51:09,566

comment on the Spotify episode,

or post it on the Discord.

: 1006

00:51:10,056 --> 00:51:12,646

The best ones go straight

on the next episode.

: 1007

00:51:13,376 --> 00:51:16,686

And if you enjoyed this one, hit

subscribe on your podcast app or on

: 1008

00:51:16,796 --> 00:51:19,016

YouTube and leave us a five-star review.

: 1009

00:51:19,526 --> 00:51:21,686

It generally helps more

Leipzig fans find us.

: 1010

00:51:22,006 --> 00:51:25,706

All the links, including everything from

Johannes and For Fans, are down in the

: 1011

00:51:25,706 --> 00:51:29,596

show notes, so go and give him a follow

and check out his matchday content.

: 1012

00:51:30,256 --> 00:51:33,006

And remember, we wanna keep this

show completely free from corporate

: 1013

00:51:33,006 --> 00:51:36,126

sponsors, so if you're able to

chip in and help cover the costs,

: 1014

00:51:36,496 --> 00:51:37,396

there's a link for that too.

: 1015

00:51:38,056 --> 00:51:41,766

Let's keep the podcast independent,

no agendas, no gatekeepers,

: 1016

00:51:41,936 --> 00:51:43,446

just pure Leipzig passion.

: 1017

00:51:44,456 --> 00:51:47,766

It's been a pleasure having Johannes

on to kick off the new season with us.

: 1018

00:51:48,316 --> 00:51:51,976

I've been Justin Crozer, and

until next time, bye-bye for now

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