RB Leipzig head coach Martin Demichelis has defended Castello Lukeba after his unfortunate own goal in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester City at the Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night.
RB Leipzig Coach Martin Demichelis Defends Castello Lukeba
Lukeba gifted City the first goal in the 37th minute, accidentally sending the ball into his own net from close range. Responding to media questions, Demichelis did not mince his words when he defended the French center-back.
Demichelis, who scored two own goals during his playing days, praised Lukeba for his performance against the Premier League powerhouse.
“Great game. That can happen in football, especially as a center-back or goalkeeper.”
Instead of going off on the 23-year-old defender after the honest mistake, Demichelis motivated him.
The German giants’ mentor hoped young talent would remain focused and consistent because he “brings a lot to the table”. He advised Lukeba to forget about the own goal “immediately”.
RB Leipzig 2-3 Manchester City: Who Scored?
Following Lukeba’s own goal, Ridle Baku equalised for the home side four minutes into the second half. Former Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez restored City’s lead with a header in the 58th minute.
However, it took only three minutes for Demichelis’ boys to respond to the World Cup-winning Argentine’s goal. Antonio Nusa levelled the score in the 61st minute.
Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland broke the hearts of the RB Leipzig faithful in the 78th minute, tapping in the English heavyweights’ winning goal.
How Many Games Has RB Leipzig Lost in the Champions League?
RB Leipzig has now lost three out of four UEFA Champions League league-phase matches. Demichelis’ side has won just one game. The German team ranks 30th in the 36-team table with only three points.
Demichelis’ charges have been leaky in defence, conceding 11 goals while scoring five.
After edging RB Leipzig, Enzo Maresca’s side accumulated three valuable points. City now ranks 7th with nine points. They’ve won three matches and lost one.
Official Lineups
RB Leipzig official lineup vs Manchester City (4-3-3): Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; El Aynaoui, Baumgartner, Banzuzi; Gruda, Romulo, Nusa.
Manchester City official lineup vs RB Leipzig (4-1-4-1: Donnarumma; Nunes, Khusanov, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson; Foden, Fernandez, Cherki, Ndiaye; Haaland.
Also Read: ‘They’ll be physical’: Harry Kane on Atletico Madrid’s tactics to stop Bayern Munich
For a live score of any RB Leipzig or Manchester City fixture and a detailed match timeline, including scorers, cards, and substitutions, visit our live scores page.
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