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NederlandRB Leipzig welcome Real Sociedad to the Red Bull Arena on Thursday evening for the first leg of the pair's Europa League knockout round playoff.
The hosts qualified for the playoff by finishing third in Champions League Group A, whilst their upcoming opponents finished the Europa League group stages second to Monaco.
Match preview
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Third place was perhaps the best Leipzig could hope for in a Champions League group containing the mighty duo of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
The German side notched up a respectable seven points to claim third spot ahead of Club Brugge and will likely have been fairly content as it came at a time when they were struggling significantly in the Bundesliga.
Under then-manager Jesse Marsch, Die Roten Bullen had fallen to a disappointing 11th place in the league, the American coach not able to match up to the high standards under Julian Nagelsmann last season.
Since bringing in Domenico Tedesco, results have improved dramatically and a 3-1 win at home to high-flying FC Koln at the weekend saw Leipzig climb back into the top four.
They remain just three points above 10th place in a very tightly-packed section of the table, but can now think about securing a spot back in the Champions League again next season.
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For now, though, they must focus on securing a spot in the last 16 of Europe's second-most-important tournament and it is Real Sociedad who will stand in their way.
Los Txuri-Urdin had dropped to seventh spot in La Liga after two goalless draws, but moved back up to sixth with a 2-0 win at home to Granada at the weekend.
They are just one point shy of Barcelona in fourth and will be confident of challenging for a Champions League finish in the final months of the season, even if they advance deep into the Europa League,
Their progress to the knockout round playoffs came via a dramatic final-day win over PSV Eindhoven, a brace from Mikel Oyarzabal and a stoppage-time goal from Alexander Sorloth producing a 3-0 victory which moved the Spanish side above PSV by a single point.
Leipzig will likely present a tougher challenge - certainly in their current form - as well as an unknown in the first meeting between the pair in European competition.
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Team News
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Christopher Nkunku has been in red-hot form for Leipzig and, along with the fit-again Dani Olmo, Dominik Szoboszlai and Emil Forsberg, provides plenty of options in the attacking third behind lone striker Andre Silva.
Marcel Halstenberg is the only definite absentee; other than the left-back, Tedesco has a fully-fit squad to choose from.
Sorloth - currently on loan from Leipzig - appears clear to play for Sociedad but will have plenty of competition for places in attack and is more likely to feature against his parent club from the bench.
Former Bundesliga man Alexander Isak has been in excellent form, and there is also top scorer Oyarzabal and veteran playmaker David Silva.
Imanol Alguacil will be without Carlos Fernandez, Nacho Monreal and young attacker Ander Barrenetxea through injury, whilst Martin Zubimendi is suspended.
RB Leipzig possible starting lineup:
Gulacsi; Simakan, Orban, Gvardiol; Klostermann, Laimer, Kampl, Angelino; Olmo, Nkunku; Silva
Real Sociedad possible starting lineup:
Remiro; Zaldua, Elustondo, Le Normand, Munoz; Rafinha, Guevara, Merino; Januzaj, Isak, Oyarzabal
We say: RB Leipzig 2-1 Real Sociedad
Both teams have shown some good form recently, though the away side suffered a disappointing 4-0 exit from the Copa del Rey. With five wins from their previous six games and home advantage on their side, we are backing Leipzig to come away with a narrow victory to take into the crucial second leg.
