Artwork for podcast RBL Talk — RB Leipzig Podcast (English)
Battered at Como, Back to Business vs Hamburg
Episode 120 • 12th September 2026 • RBL Talk — RB Leipzig Podcast (English) • Justin Crozer
00:00:00 00:13:21

Share Episode

Shownotes

Extra Time — Rapid-fire coverage for the busy mid-week schedule.

In This Episode:

  • ⚡ Match Flash: Quick review of Como vs RB Leipzig — a 4–1 Champions League opener that looks like a hammering, until you check the numbers.
  • 🎯 Impact Player: Nico Paz — Did they make the difference? (Player Watch: Paz vs the RB Leipzig keeper.)
  • ⏩ The Quick Turnaround: Previewing RB Leipzig vs Hamburger SV (Bundesliga, Sun 13 Sep — 15:30 CEST / 23:00 ACST, Red Bull Arena).

Don't Forget:

Check Out Our:

Transcripts

Justin Crozer:

4-1 on their debut.

2

:

A club playing its first ever European

night in 119 years of existence.

3

:

And the scoreboard says they hammered us.

4

:

But the truth's a little bit

more complicated than 4-1.

5

:

And I'm going to show you

exactly why in a minute.

6

:

This is a quick fire.

7

:

So we're in, we're honest, and we're out.

8

:

Como on Thursday, Hamburg

at the Arena on Sunday.

9

:

And after two losses on

the spin, everything about

10

:

this club just got heavier.

11

:

Let's go.

12

:

Welcome to RBL Talk, the

independent RB Leipzig podcast.

13

:

Tactics, Terrace, Truth.

14

:

I'm Justin Crozer, and

this is a quick fire.

15

:

The fast midweek turnaround.

16

:

No guest, no full mailbag, just a

rapid reaction while it's still raw.

17

:

Here's the run of the play.

18

:

First, back to Italy, the Como game.

19

:

What actually happened, and the player

watch verdict on the duel we set Monday.

20

:

Then straight into

Sunday, Hamburg at home.

21

:

A new player watch duel

and where I land on a score

22

:

Right, Como 4-1.

23

:

And I wanna be straight with you

because the scoreline and the

24

:

story aren't quite the same thing.

25

:

Here's the bit that'll surprise you.

26

:

On the surface, this was even.

27

:

Possession 50/50.

28

:

Shots 14 apiece.

29

:

We actually had more touches in their

final third than they had in ours.

30

:

On paper, a level game

31

:

So how does a level game finish 4-1?

32

:

Two words, chance quality.

33

:

Their expected goals on the night, 2.3.

34

:

Ours, 1.4.

35

:

Big chances, seven to them, two to us.

36

:

They attacked the middle of the goal.

37

:

We took pot shots from the edges.

38

:

Same amount of ball.

39

:

They made it count, and we didn't.

40

:

That's the whole night in one line.

41

:

Let me give you the three moments.

42

:

15 minutes, Duvicus

slides one across the box.

43

:

We only half clear it, and Batrunia

is just there to poke it in.

44

:

One-nil.

45

:

Then 38, Batrunia again, this time

the pass, releasing Duvicus, who

46

:

holds off Lecaba and finishes low.

47

:

Two-nil at the break.

48

:

And here's the, the thing.

49

:

We still felt it.

50

:

We were in it.

51

:

We weren't getting battered.

52

:

And then the game died in a

single minute of the second half.

53

:

54, Nico Paz slips Dio in behind.

54

:

He drills it far corner, three-nil.

55

:

Game gone.

56

:

We did nick one straight back.

57

:

Maximovic, 58, an absolute rocket into

the top corner, teed up by Nkunku.

58

:

But Pirone rubbed in right

at the death, four-one.

59

:

Now, why did it happen?

60

:

I'll keep this quick because the full

tactical autopsies are for the main show.

61

:

But two things.

62

:

One, their fullbacks flew forward,

and we never handled the width.

63

:

Dio alone won 10 duels and carried

the ball 300 meters, and Baku

64

:

made the error that led to a goal.

65

:

Two, their holding midfielder, Miller,

passed at 95% in our half, untouched.

66

:

When the other team's deepest player

is strolling around in your half

67

:

like that, your press has failed.

68

:

That's the headline.

69

:

What does that actually mean?

70

:

It's one game out of eight in

the league phase, so it is not

71

:

fatal, but it's a rotten start.

72

:

Second season running, we've

lost our Champions League opener,

73

:

and coming right off the word of

defeat, that's back-to-back losses

74

:

and seven conceded in two games.

75

:

The defense needs a long,

hard look in the mirror.

76

:

Now player watch.

77

:

Monday we set the duel.

78

:

Nico Paz against whoever we put in goal.

79

:

And in the end,

Vandervoort kept his place.

80

:

No birthday start for

Niland, no experienced head

81

:

for the big European night.

82

:

The young Belgian got the nod.

83

:

So how did it go?

84

:

Paz won it comprehensively.

85

:

Two assists, and both

of them beat our keeper.

86

:

He teed up Dial for the third

and Perrone for the fourth.

87

:

A 7.9

88

:

rating, and get this, he

was also Como's top tackler.

89

:

He ran the game at both ends.

90

:

That's the complete midfield

performance, and it's exactly why

91

:

he's the one everyone's talking about.

92

:

And Vandervort?

93

:

A 5.4,

94

:

and the number that

jumps out is minus 1.71

95

:

goals prevented.

96

:

So more than a goal and a half worse

than your average keeper would have done.

97

:

But I'll be fair to him.

98

:

The back four handed

Como seven clear chances.

99

:

Perrone's finish alone was worth 0.93

100

:

expected goals.

101

:

That's as good as a certain goal.

102

:

No keeper alive is saving that lot.

103

:

So the duel goes to Paz, and

clearly he beat our last line twice.

104

:

But don't you dare hang four

goals on the goalkeeper.

105

:

Round one, Como.

106

:

Before we cross to the weekend, one

flicker of light in all that, Maksimovic.

107

:

Nineteen years old, a seven point eight,

and that goal of his was the only time all

108

:

night we made their keeper properly sweat.

109

:

The boy is a player.

110

:

Nusa fought too.

111

:

Eight dribbles, ran himself into the

ground trying to drag us up the pitch.

112

:

And Nkunku, he got the assist.

113

:

Three key passes.

114

:

The link play is clearly back, but

still no goal since his return.

115

:

That drought's turning

into a story all on its own

116

:

One to keep an eye on.

117

:

So that's Italy.

118

:

Painful, but not the end of the world.

119

:

Because three days later, we go

again, and Hamburg at home is

120

:

exactly the response this squad needs

121

:

sunday, Red Bull Arena, half three

in the afternoon, Leipzig time.

122

:

Eleven Sunday night for those of us down

here in Australia in the central areas.

123

:

Hamburg come to town, and after Italy,

this is the definition of a must-win.

124

:

Let me paint you the opponent

because honestly, it's bleak.

125

:

Hamburg have made the worst start

in their history, two games,

126

:

zero points, and forget close.

127

:

They've been battered.

128

:

Nil-two at Dortmund, then

nil-five at home to Mainz.

129

:

Five at their own ground on match day two.

130

:

And here's the number that tells

you everything you need to know.

131

:

In two Bundesliga games this

season, Hamburg have scored nothing.

132

:

Zero goals, nought from seven inside

the box, nought from nine outside it.

133

:

They are not scoring full stop.

134

:

So on paper, this should be

routine, and history agrees.

135

:

But own this fixture all time

in the Bundesliga, it's six

136

:

wins, one draw, one defeat.

137

:

We've won the last two on the bounce.

138

:

But, and you knew there'd be a

but, here's the honest version.

139

:

Every one of those recent

wins came by a single goal.

140

:

Two-one, two-one, one-two.

141

:

Lately, we grind Hamburg.

142

:

We don't thrash them.

143

:

Now, stack on where we are

right now, seven conceded in two

144

:

games, a press that isn't biting.

145

:

So the question isn't

whether we're favorites.

146

:

Of course we are.

147

:

The question is, which version

of us actually shows up?

148

:

The old side that used to put this

lot away four-nil or another nervy

149

:

one-goal job that a shaky backline

make it harder than it should be.

150

:

Because here's the good

news, and it's real.

151

:

For all the defensive misery

going forward, we are flying

152

:

going into this weekend.

153

:

We've taken more shots than any team in

the division, and we've got the second

154

:

highest expected goals in the league.

155

:

The chances are there.

156

:

The service is elite.

157

:

There's just one man who hasn't

cashed in yet, Nkunku, still

158

:

without a goal since his return.

159

:

Six attempts and counting.

160

:

And I'll say it plainly, if there

is ever a game to end that drought,

161

:

it's this one, at home against the

leakiest defense in the country.

162

:

Over to you, Chris.

163

:

Now player watch.

164

:

New duel for the week, and I'm

doing this one a little differently.

165

:

For Leipzig, Orsano Drago.

166

:

For Hamburg, Fabio Vieira.

167

:

And I'm not framing this

as how do we shut him down?

168

:

Because these two are

cut from the same cloth.

169

:

They are both sparks, the kind of

player who makes something from nothing.

170

:

A bit of magic that swings

a game his team's way.

171

:

So this isn't a stopper duel.

172

:

It's dead simple.

173

:

Whoever conjures the moment tips it.

174

:

Take Vieira first.

175

:

Last season, he was

Hamburg's creative heartbeat.

176

:

Seven goals, five assists, a 7.2

177

:

rating.

178

:

That's a serious return from a number 10,

and it's exactly why he's the danger man.

179

:

But this season, he's barely featured.

180

:

One game, 45 minutes, and he got hooked at

halftime in that nil five against Mainz.

181

:

So he's elite and doubted

at the very same time.

182

:

A wounded artist trying

to remember who he is.

183

:

Give him a yard, especially at a set

piece, and Hamburg give away enough

184

:

free kicks that there'll be dead balls

flying about, which cuts both ways.

185

:

And he can punish us.

186

:

And Odrago, our 19-year-old on the way up.

187

:

And you got a glimpse in Italy, 30

minutes off the bench where he completed

188

:

and created duels, won recoveries,

an interception, a key pass, a shot,

189

:

combative and creative one package

against a Hamburg side that will

190

:

likely sit in and try to survive.

191

:

A spark like Asane is exactly

the tool to pick the lock.

192

:

Two creators, opposite

ends of their journeys.

193

:

Whoever finds the moment wins

the duel, and maybe the game.

194

:

We settle that one on Monday

195

:

And the score?

196

:

You know the rule around here.

197

:

I don't just lob out a

scoreline for the sake of it.

198

:

I want the numbers to earn it.

199

:

So here's the working.

200

:

We've created the fourth

biggest chances in the league.

201

:

They've conceded at three

and a half a game and haven't

202

:

kept a clean sheet all season.

203

:

That math says we score two, maybe three.

204

:

The only thing giving me

pause is our own defense.

205

:

Seven shipped in the last two,

206

:

And even a side this poor

will fashion the odd chance.

207

:

So I'm going three-one Leipzig.

208

:

We've got far too much firepower

for a team this toothless.

209

:

But until I actually see our

backline keep one out, I'm not

210

:

going to promise you a clean sheet.

211

:

Three-one, response delivered,

and hopefully Nkunku's

212

:

monkey finally off his back

213

:

two takeaways, quick as you like.

214

:

From Italy, it wasn't the

amount of ball, and it wasn't

215

:

the shot count, it was quality.

216

:

They made their big chances

count, and we didn't.

217

:

Sharpen the final ball and the

finishing, and our underlying

218

:

numbers say the goals are coming.

219

:

For Sunday, it's a must-win against

a side that cannot buy a goal.

220

:

The numbers scream home win.

221

:

The only real question is whether

we're finally clinical, and whether

222

:

our back line does the job for once.

223

:

Get that right, and this

is the reset we need.

224

:

Now, over to you.

225

:

This is only a quick-fire, so

the full Digital Terrace Mailbag

226

:

lands on Tuesday's main episode.

227

:

That's where I read your takes properly.

228

:

But I want your calls on Como or Hamburg.

229

:

How do you see the return

to the Champions League?

230

:

Your outlook for Sunday?

231

:

Score?

232

:

finally break his duck?

233

:

Get it to me three ways.

234

:

SpeakPipe, that's speakpipe.com/rbltalk.

235

:

You've got up to five minutes of

audio, and I'll play it on air.

236

:

Drop a comment straight on the episode

over on Spotify, or come and argue with

237

:

us in the Digital Terrace on Discord.

238

:

Links are all in the show notes.

239

:

And while you're down there,

if this show means something

240

:

to you, help us keep it going.

241

:

Subscribe, leave us a review.

242

:

It generally moves the needle.

243

:

We take no corporate money, no sponsors

pulling the strings, no agendas, no

244

:

gatekeepers, just pure Leipzig passion,

funded by the people who listen.

245

:

If you can chip in to help cover the

costs and keep it independent, the

246

:

link's in the show notes as well.

247

:

That's what keep this

feed free and honest.

248

:

Full mailbag and the

Hamburg verdict Tuesday.

249

:

Before then, let's go RBL.

250

:

Tactics Terrace Truth.

251

:

I've been Justin Crozer, and

until next time, bye-bye for now.

Chapters

Video

More from YouTube