Fischer may someday hear the siren call of a bigger club and respond to it, but for now, he’s living the coaching dream at a place where the Swiss tactician is truly appreciated.
Consider that Union are breathing down the necks of league leaders Bayern Munich, just a point behind. They’ve reeled off five successive wins in all competitions, the last couple thanks to late resilience. What’s more, the trend is Union’s friend when it comes to Leipzig with die Eisernen winning the past four league meetings. If they can make it five, they’ll be entering new territory in their own Bundesliga story against any one side.
Leipzig have their own impressive statistics, though, boasting an 18-game unbeaten run in all competitions stretching back to mid-September, and that includes the Champions League. Marco Rose’s team are currently having to do it without Christopher Nkunku and Dani Olmo, and on Saturday will likely be minus Willi Orban, who has been warmly applauded by everyone in German football for selflessly making a stem cell donation this week with the potential to save the life of someone else.
Leipzig pulled out all the stops to beat Union in the semifinal of last season’s DFB-Pokal in rousing fashion, en route to lifting their first major trophy. Yet that was hard work, as it frequently seems to be for them against Fischer’s dogged band of overachievers.
Get ready for an epic Saturday Topspiel, but perhaps be circumspect if you want to dub it an Ostduell (a duel between Eastern clubs). Not everyone views it that way.
