Rose set to rest Schlager, reveals that Simakan is a doubt
By Peter Vice @ViceytheSS
RB Leipzig trainer Marco Rose was surprisingly forthcoming about his weekend lineup plans at his Friday presser.
| Mohamed Simakan. | Photo: Steffen Prößdorf, CC BY-SA 4.0 |
Schlager worked alongside Amadou Haidara in a double-six setup during Wednesday's Champions' League loss. Haidara could conceivably maintain his slot, with Kevin Kampl looking the most likely candidate to pair with the Frenchman. Rose could also take pages from his predecessor's playbook and use either Benjamin Henrichs or Dominik Szoboszlai in central midfield.
In the case of Henrich's it looks to be the case that the German international may be needed on the back line. It was also revealed at the presser that Marcel Halstenberg will be out with back problems. Mohamed Simakan - the squad's new right back - is also questionable with a few bruises sustained in recent fixtures. Rose suggested he might even leave the 22-year-old behind.
For the second consecutive week, Rose had to answer questions about what it felt like to face a former club. The Leipzig native returns to another one of his old stomping grounds on Saturday at Borussia Park. Just like last week, the 46-year-old kept it glib.
"I think a had a good time there," Rose said, "I met some great people. I expect a fiery and intense atmosphere, which I can't really influence. I'll just take it as it comes."