Leipzig host Elversberg in Bundesliga matchweek 7 on 24 October 2026, with both sides sitting closer together in the table than most expected. Leipzig are seventh with nine points from six games, one behind Elversberg in sixth despite the visitors being in their first ever Bundesliga season. The gap is telling: Leipzig are underperforming their expectations while Elversberg are comfortably exceeding theirs. The previous weekend made that contrast even starker, with Leipzig demolished 1-6 at Bayern Munich while Elversberg edged a chaotic 4-3 win over Augsburg. Leipzig need a response and home is where they have been most reliable.
Demichelis and Wagner have never faced each other competitively, which is unsurprising given Demichelis only joined Leipzig in June 2026 to replace Ole Werner while Wagner took the Elversberg job in summer 2025, so this one starts from scratch tactically.
Leipzig's last five league games read L-W-L-W-L, swinging between the spectacular (a 6-0 home win over Eintracht Frankfurt on 10 October) and the dismal (1-6 at Bayern, 0-2 at Leverkusen on 20 September). Elversberg's run, W-L-D-L-W, tells a similarly erratic story: they beat Augsburg 4-3 last weekend but lost 0-1 at Union Berlin and 1-2 at Bayern earlier in the run. Both sides have a habit of conceding too much when games open up.
Leipzig are without Marc Guiu (hamstring), Assan Ouedraogo (shoulder surgery) and Christoph Baumgartner (thigh), stripping Demichelis of real depth in attack and midfield and leaving Nkunku to carry the attacking load as the only recognised striker, with Nusa expected to operate wide. Elversberg have problems of their own: Tom Zimmerschied and Luis Seifert are both out with ankle injuries and Cole Campbell and Noah Darvich are doubts, leaving Wagner short of attacking cover against a side they need something from.
Demichelis has built Leipzig around a high press and full back width, with David Raum's crossing runs from left back one of Leipzig's most consistent ways into the final third. Without Guiu and Baumgartner, the burden falls heavily on Nkunku to lead the line and on Nusa to pull Elversberg's defensive line wide enough to open the overlapping lane for Raum.
Elversberg rely on counter attacks through Lukas Petkov and Maurice Krattenmacher to hurt teams on the break, which tends to work against opponents who push men forward and leave space in behind but Leipzig at home are patient and structured and Elversberg will need their midfield to hold its shape when the full backs advance. If Elversberg's central midfielders cannot track Leipzig's full backs when they arrive late into the box and the missing wide players leave the defensive line short of cover when Leipzig win the ball back, Leipzig could be two goals up before the hour and Elversberg would have no obvious way back. Their most realistic route to a goal runs through Petkov on the break but if Leipzig score first, Elversberg will be chasing the game without the bench depth to respond.
Previous meetings between these clubs have been confined to lower divisions and cup ties, producing a 2-0 Leipzig win and a 1-0 Elversberg success in notable encounters. Neither coaching staff has faced the other, so there are no recent tactical reference points to draw on.
Raum's delivery from set pieces is worth building around given Elversberg's defensive absences. They have shown vulnerability to crosses in the Bundesliga this season and Leipzig's possession based approach tends to generate plenty of dead ball opportunities. If Leipzig score from open play and pin Elversberg back, set pieces could push the scoreline further before Elversberg can reorganise.
We're going 3-0 to Leipzig. Raum's deliveries and the gaps in Elversberg's backline should give Nkunku and Nusa enough room to build a lead, with Leipzig likely to score a second or third before the hour mark. Petkov and Krattenmacher only hurt teams with space to run into and once Elversberg are chasing the game and Leipzig sit deeper, that outlet closes. With Campbell and Darvich both doubts, Elversberg will not have the bench depth to find a goal from the substitutes or shift the shape in any meaningful way.
Ryan Baldi
Football Writer
Ryan Baldi is a professional football writer with years of experience and has been featured by respected outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, Sky Sports, DAZN, FourFourTwo, ESPN, Yahoo Sport and Football365. He has also written several books including Arsène Who?.
