Leipzig suffers defeat in Bergamo, with both Sesko and Simons absent from the lineup - Leipzig falls short against Bergamo, suffering defeat with the absences of Sesko and Simons
RB Leipzig Suffer Late Defeat in Ole Werner's Debut
In a closely contested match at the Red Bull Arena, RB Leipzig faced Atalanta Bergamo and fell short, losing 1-2 in their first game under new coach Ole Werner.
The first half saw a solid performance from David Raum, Ridle Baku, Castello Lukeba, and Willi Orban in Leipzig's defence, while Ezechiel Banzuzi, Max Finkgräfe, and Andrija Maksimovic made their arena debuts at halftime.
Leipzig took the lead after 12 minutes, with Lois Openda scoring from a corner kick by Christoph Baumgartner. However, the second half proved challenging for the home team. Their offense struggled with miscommunications and missed passes, and the new lineup didn't function as well as the first half team.
Atalanta equalized in the 85th minute when Gianluca Scamacca scored a long-range shot that found the top corner. Lorenzo Bernasconi added the winner from a corner in the 90th minute, leaving Leipzig to rue their missed opportunities.
Giorgio Scalvini had a great chance for Bergamo in the second half, but Peter Gulacsi made a last-second save to keep Leipzig in the game.
In other transfer news, Benjamin Sesko, Leipzig's striker, is the subject of a substantial bid from Newcastle United. Initially offered around £69.8 million (€75m) plus add-ons, Newcastle have been told to increase their offer. Reports suggest a later bid of €90m (£78m) could secure Sesko's preference over Manchester United.
Sesko's potential departure would mark a significant outflow from the Bundesliga and affect Leipzig's attacking options. Newcastle's manager Eddie Howe is prioritizing quality recruitment despite a challenging summer, and Sesko's acquisition would signal their ambition to compete at a higher level by strengthening their forward line.
Meanwhile, there is no recent transfer update involving Xavi Simons and Chelsea. The young midfielder is reportedly in talks with FC Chelsea, with negotiations said to be advanced.
Johan Bakayoko and Yan Diomande, new signings for RB Leipzig, integrated well into the team with their speed and technical skills, providing a positive note for Leipzig as they look to regroup and prepare for their next match.
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Leipzig's defeat in Werner's debut could be a potential setback for their European campaign, as the Commission has also adopted a proposal for a Council Regulation on the conclusion of the Agreement on the European Economic Area, which aims to bring more European clubs, such as RB Leipzig, into the competitive landscape of European leagues.
In the world of sports, football, specifically the European leagues, will be closely watching Leipzig's performance moving forward, as their attack seemingly needs some tweaking to ensure more efficiency and cohesion, much like a well-orchestrated European policy.
