RB Leipzig welcome PSV Eindhoven to Red Bull Arena on Tuesday evening for their second League Stage fixture in the UEFA Champions League. Leipzig sit in 32nd place in the 36-team table, still without a point after one match played, having lost their opener 4-1 on goals. PSV, one match played and one point to their name from a draw, occupy 19th place — just one point and several positions above their hosts.
The context around both sides tells a clear story ahead of kick-off. Leipzig find themselves in the bottom third of the table at this early stage, while PSV sit in a mid-table position. The gap between them on the table is one point.
In domestic competition, Leipzig's last five matches have produced 6 points, a run that includes a 6-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and a 5-0 victory against Hamburger SV, alongside defeats to Bayer Leverkusen, Como and Werder Bremen. That domestic form has been uneven, but the two heavy wins stand out within that stretch.
PSV arrive in considerably stronger recent form, having collected 10 points from their last five matches. That run includes wins over Heerenveen, Sparta Rotterdam and Ajax, a draw with Shakhtar Donetsk and a defeat to Twente. Their one Champions League point comes from the draw with Shakhtar Donetsk, which also appears within that five-match run.
For Leipzig, Tuesday represents a first opportunity to get off the mark in the League Stage. PSV, with a point already banked, will be looking to build on their mid-table position. The 36-team table is still taking shape after just one matchday for each side, and both clubs will be aware of the importance of early points in a competition of this scale.