"It's a huge game" - Ole Werner ahead of #BVBRBL

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RB Leipzig

·3 octobre 2025

"It's a huge game" - Ole Werner ahead of #BVBRBL

Despite the unusual start time for head coach Ole Werner's press conference ahead of tomorrow's chasing-pack clash at Dortmund, the atmosphere at Cottaweg was buzzing with anticipation.

From high-intensity training sessions to tactical nuances, hear what Ole Werner had to say ahead of the game away at BVB.

Vidéos OneFootball

Squad update ahead of #BVBRBL

Christoph Baumgartner has returned to full training after having his workload managed and is an option for Saturday.
Timo Werner will miss the BVB game due to muscular problems. He should be available again after the international break.
Kevin Kampl is unavailable due to illness.
Amadou Haidara completed parts of team training and should be back fully involved with the squad soon.

You can find more team news in our latest squad update.

Latest squad update

What will RBL come up against in Dortmund?

"During the game, you focus less on the atmosphere and more on what's happening on the pitch; you don't take in the spectacle as much as you'd think. Before the match is a different story, it's the kind of game you look forward to. My memories of the place are overwhelmingly positive. My matches there have been really closely fought for the most part. We are going to give everything we've got to bring three points back to Leipzig.We’ve had the whole week to prepare for this game, Dortmund on the other hand have had a few days less to set up. They’re used to this kind of schedule, though, so the fact that we’ve had more time to train is by no means going to guarantee us a win. They're a really solid side and have come a long way over the last few months.It's a huge game. I want to see us produce the best performance possible, in our intensity, our mindset and our patterns of play. We have to be at the best standard in every respect."

International call-ups

"Yan Diomande has received his first call-up for the senior Ivory Coast side. Ridle Baku has earned the chance be back involved with Germany, and Assan Ouedraogo has been named in the Germany U21 squad for the first time.It's always wonderful to see to see that the boys can achieve these goals in their careers as a result of great performances here. It's great news for us as a club."

Defensive solidity

"We don't just want to constantly be high up the pitch or only sit deep, it's all about making the right decisions in the face of each scenario. When space opens up from loss of possession or set-pieces, we need to be making the right choices. In every phase of the game, we need to keep the pressure high.We need everything to work cohesively, and so we're working hard to be more solid in defence. As well as playing with a lot of creativity, we need to ensure that we always keep an eye on how we're set up to defend."Every week, we tailor certain aspects to suit each opponent. The way we press tomorrow will look different again. As a result, there is no 'plan A', but rather we tweak all the details about our game depending on who we're coming up against."

Development after the loss to Bayern

"We're going to take another step forward in Dortmund. We've had the chance to come to terms with and work on a lot of aspects. These are two teams who play different kinds of football, and so the challenge is different to the one we faced in Munich.I think it's clear to see that we've been developing as a side and been finding each week better than the last, so I'm optimistic that we can achieve our desired result in Dortmund."

The role of Chad Bitshiabu:

"In football, it's sometimes the case that other players will be able to do certain things better than you. Castello Jr. is incredibly solid and has got a lot right in the last few weeks. It's not about being patient with Chad - he should be passionate and feel the drive to be out on the pitch, in a positive way for the team, of course.Everyone in training has the chance to showcase their abilities and prove to us that they're ready. That's his job as well. Assan earned himself a start based on his performance on the training pitch, and that should be a good example for him."