RB Leipzig wins friendly against Verl convincingly – without Diomande and Gulacsi

Squad: Diomande and Gulacsi missing

Coach Ole Werner, who took over as head coach of the Saxons at the beginning of July, had to do without two prominent players. Goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi and winger Yan Diomande were not in the squad following strained days of late. While little initially reached the public about the exact reasons for their absence, the club indicated that it was a precautionary measure for sporting and personal reasons.

The match itself was, for long stretches, a classic pre-season run-out. The Leipzig side, who will play in the Bundesliga next season and will also face Real Madrid in the Champions League, made several substitutions in the second half. The young Verl team, who as a third-division side are in an entirely different phase of pre-season, held out well for a long time before the individual quality differences became more pronounced after the break.

Match report: Klostermann opens, Harder puts the lid on

Lukas Klostermann set the goalfest in motion, finding the net after an hour, either with his head or his foot. Ridle Baku increased the lead in the 83rd minute, paving the way for a comfortable final phase. Just five minutes later, new signing Ezechiel Banzuzi added another, before Conrad Harder made it 4:0 from the spot in the first minute of stoppage time. The numerous changes in Leipzig's squad meant that the second half effectively felt extended by an additional phase.

For Werner, who in his first pre-season as head coach of the Saxons is also preparing for the clash with the upcoming Champions League opponents from Spain, the friendly provided important insights into the form of his players. The second half in particular showed that the squad's depth will play a central role in the new season – especially when the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal and Champions League competitions run in parallel.

Outlook: Cup and league on the horizon

SC Verl, meanwhile, took the result with a view to their own league start in the 3. Liga. The East Westphalians had also experimented personnel-wise in recent weeks and travelled to Leipzig with a rejuvenated squad. According to the club, coach Alexander Ende stressed that despite the clear scoreline, the match had provided valuable insights into their own limits and areas for development.

Looking ahead to the opening competitive fixture, Leipzig face the DFB-Pokal match shortly, followed by the Bundesliga start the weekend after next. The club left open whether Diomande and Gulacsi will then be available again. Nor were there initially any further details on the status of internal discussions.

Overall, the club classified the friendly as a successful conclusion to summer pre-season. The team had shown the right rhythm for the upcoming tasks, according to sources close to the coaching staff. At the same time, the personnel issues surrounding the absent players need to be resolved swiftly.