RB Leipzig manager Marin Demichelis believes Real Madrid have the quality to compete for both La Liga and the Champions League after his side suffered a 4-1 defeat against Jose Mourinho’s team.
Despite feeling Leipzig had performed well enough to avoid trailing at half-time, the Argentine acknowledged that Madrid’s individual brilliance proved decisive, while singling out Arda Guler and Yan Diomande for their influence on the contest.
Demichelis explains why Real Madrid are difficult to stop
Leipzig were competitive during the opening stages, but Real Madrid’s ability to turn promising situations into decisive moments ultimately separated the teams.
Demichelis pointed to the Spanish side’s attacking quality as the biggest obstacle his players faced, arguing that even a strong performance can end in defeat against opponents capable of producing something extraordinary.
“The same thing often happens here. You play a great match and then Madrid end up beating you. They have the ability to push forward with players who can turn a game on its head.
“That’s why we pressed them high up the pitch. We bunched up near our own goal and felt comfortable there. After that, Real Madrid’s individual quality is hard to match.
“Some of the goals came about that way. Real Madrid will undoubtedly be one of the favourites to win La Liga and the Champions League,” he said.
Leipzig manager questions half-time scoreline
Demichelis says Real Madrid favourites to win the UCL. (Photo by Fabio Deinert/Getty Images)
Although Demichelis acknowledged Real Madrid’s superiority after the break, he was unhappy with the final result and felt Leipzig had not received a fair reflection of their first-half performance.
Bernardo Silva’s goal on the stroke of half-time gave Madrid the advantage, leaving the visitors with a difficult task after the interval.
“I’m not very happy because we’ve lost again and conceded four goals. Personally, I’d say my team played well with the ball.
“Unfortunately, Madrid showed their class and their ability. My personal opinion is that we didn’t deserve to go into half-time a goal down.
“After that, Real Madrid controlled the game better in the second half,” he explained.
Demichelis praises Arda Guler and Yan Diomande
Demichelis also highlighted two players who contributed to Real Madrid’s victory.
Demichelis has praised Arda Guler. (Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)
Arda Guler’s performance came as little surprise to the Leipzig manager, who recalled facing a similar tactical setup involving the Turkish international during his time at Mallorca.
“I wasn’t surprised by Arda. He has the ability to make all sorts of things happen.
“When I was at Mallorca, we came up against a similar line-up, with Arda cutting in from the wing, and it didn’t surprise us,” he recalled.
Yan Diomande also earned praise for his potential to influence matches, although Demichelis suggested that fulfilling that promise will depend on the player’s mentality as well as his technical qualities.
“There’s a reason Real Madrid took a chance on such a game-changing player. These days, clubs are looking for players who can turn a game on its head.
“He’s one of them, and it will depend on his mindset and technical ability,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo