Banzuzi Set for Leipzig Bundesliga Start
- Ezechiel Banzuzi is expected to start RB Leipzig's Bundesliga opener against Gladbach after being named the standout performer of the club's pre-season.
- Manager Marcel Schäfer praised Banzuzi's physical power and said the club expects a great deal from the 21-year-old Dutch midfielder.
- New signing Rocco Reitz is growing fitter and will compete directly with Banzuzi for the central midfield position once fully available.
Ezechiel Banzuzi has emerged as the standout performer of RB Leipzig's pre-season and is widely expected to start the club's Bundesliga opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday, having established himself as the most consistent midfielder throughout the summer's preparations.
Schäfer backs Banzuzi for a bigger role
Manager Marcel Schäfer offered an unusually direct endorsement of the 21-year-old Dutchman, stating: "He has had a very good pre-season. He has enormous physical power. We can see that in every match. We expect a great deal from him." Schäfer was candid, however, that Banzuzi would require sustained trust and playing time to fulfil that potential — a commodity he has largely been denied since his arrival in Leipzig a year ago.
Under previous head coach Ole Werner, Banzuzi started only twice in the Bundesliga, with Xaver Schlager typically preferred in his position and Assan Ouédraogo also ahead of him in more attacking formations. Schäfer acknowledged this directly: "Last season he was already close, but the midfield was very well occupied."
Competition from new signing Reitz
Despite his improved standing, Banzuzi's place is not assured beyond the opening weekend. New signing Rocco Reitz is reported to be growing in fitness and is expected to challenge for the same central midfield berth once fully available. The article notes that Leipzig are still exploring the possibility of signing a central midfielder, though Schäfer's comments suggest the club is prepared to rely on internal options should those pursuits not materialise. RB Leipzig have already denied interest in at least one midfield target this summer as head coach Martin Demichelis pressed for reinforcements.
Other internal candidates to watch
Banzuzi is not the only fringe player who may benefit from an incomplete transfer window. Belgian winger Johan Bakayoko, who started just eight times last season, could earn a regular place on the right if no senior replacement for Yan Diomande is secured — though he faces competition from Brajan Gruda. In attack, Demichelis is reported to hold youngster Tidiam Gomis in high regard, raising the prospect of another internal promotion up front, while Conrad Harder is described as having been a disappointment so far. Leipzig's attacking resources were also bolstered earlier this summer by the return of Christopher Nkunku on loan from AC Milan.
Whether Leipzig can hold their current squad together long enough to judge these emerging players may depend on the final weeks of the transfer window — but Schäfer's public backing of Banzuzi signals that the club's management considers at least one internal solution already in place.
