RB Leipzig vs PSV Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2026-27 UEFA Champions League | League Phase
by Alex Lawes ·
RB Leipzig need to bounce back in the UEFA Champions League as the Bundesliga outfit welcome Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven to the Red Bull Arena.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV & online: UK – TNT Sports & HBO Max / USA – Paramount+
RB Leipzig preview: Big wins and big defeats
Following the surprise appointment off former Real Mallorca boss Martin Demichelis over the summer, RB Leipzig have started their season with four victories and three defeats across all competitions.
One of those defeats came in this competition as they succumbed to a 4-1 hammering at the hands of Cesc Fabregas’ UEFA Champions League debutants Como at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia in their league phase opener last month.
PSV preview: Entertaining PSV
Peter Bosz has made PSV Eindhoven an effective yet still very entertaining team, having won the last three Eredivisie titles, and the Dutch giants will again expect to be competitive throughout the league phase in this competition.
PSV began this competition with a 1-1 draw at home to Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk last month, with Sergino Dest cancelling out Gleiker Mendoza’s opener at the Philips Stadion.
RB Leipzig team news: Baumgartner getting closer
After suffering a serious hamstring injury just before FIFA World Cup 2026, Austria international attacker Christoph Baumgartner is getting close to a return with both Assan Ouedraogo and Marc Guiu both still sidelined for the hosts.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Vandevoordt; Baku, Orban, Lukeba, Raum; El Aynaoui, Seiwald; Maksimovic, Nkunku, Nusa; Gomis
Unavailable: Ouedraogo (Injured), Guiu (Injured)
Questionable: Baumgartner (Fitness)
PSV team news: Pepi close to a return
United States international striker Ricardo Pepi is working his way back to full fitness but PSV remain without the likes of Kiliann Sildillia, Jordy Schouten and Alassane Plea.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Kovar; Dest, Geertruida, Obispo, Kostic; Til, Sano, Mijnans; Perisic, Man, Van Bommel
Unavailable: Sildillia (Injured), Schouten (Injured), Wanner (Injured), Ouaissa (Injuured), Plea (Injured)
Questionable: Lammers (Injured), Pepi (Injured)
RB Leipzig vs PSV prediction
Leipzig have been beaten 4-1, 3-1 and 2-0 so far this season – winning 6-0, 3-0, 5-0 and then 6-0 in their other games. So, to suggest they are a bit ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ would be more than reasonable. It is clear that they have an abundance of quality in attack with a real fragility at the back, while PSV are extremely fun to watch and so a high-scoring contest in which both teams scoring seems a decent bet.
RB Leipzig vs PSV Tip: Both teams to score
