Demichelis Get Just Two Days To Prepare For Bayern And Real Madrid Run

Martín Demichelis finally has a full week without a match. The problem is that he barely has a team to train.

RB Leipzig return from the international break with four games that could shape the direction of their season and, potentially, the pressure surrounding their coach. Eintracht Frankfurt, PSV Eindhoven, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid await in the space of 12 days.

Yet before that run begins, Demichelis is expected to have only two proper training days with his available squad together.

Multiple Players Away.

The calendar initially appeared unusually generous.

Leipzig do not face Frankfurt until Saturday evening, giving Demichelis almost an entire week to prepare for a Bundesliga match without the interruption of Champions League or DFB Pokal football.

In reality, much of that time has disappeared.

Nine Leipzig players have been away with their national teams, while Willi Orbán, Ezechiel Banzuzi and Maarten Vandevoordt still have international matches to complete before returning.

According to RBlive, Leipzig's internationals are expected back across Tuesday and Wednesday, with some receiving time off following four matches for their countries.

Demichelis therefore will not have his available group together until Thursday.

Frankfurt Arrive On Saturday. The Injury List Makes It Worse.

Even when the internationals return, Leipzig will still be missing several players.

Assan Ouédraogo, Christoph Baumgartner, Rocco Reitz, Marc Guiu and Brajan Gruda are all currently sidelined.

Guiu's absence is particularly frustrating after Leipzig reshaped their striker department during the summer. The Spaniard suffered a hamstring injury in training in September, removing one of Demichelis' alternatives to Rômulo.

It leaves the coach trying to correct problems with a squad that has rarely been together during the break.

And there are problems to correct.

Leipzig entered the international window following a 2-0 defeat against Bayer Leverkusen, a match in which their encouraging opening period disappeared after half-time.

Demichelis' competitive record now stands at three victories and three defeats.

Frankfurt Is Only The Beginning

Saturday would already be an important game in isolation. Frankfurt arrive at the Red Bull Arena before the schedule becomes considerably more difficult.

Three days later, PSV Eindhoven visit Leipzig for the club's first Champions League home match of the season.

Then comes Bayern Munich four days later.

Four days after that, Leipzig travel to the Bernabéu to face Real Madrid. There is almost no recovery time between them, never mind enough time for significant tactical work.

That puts even greater importance on Thursday and Friday.

Those are effectively Demichelis' only two opportunities to work with something resembling his actual matchday group before a sequence in which Leipzig will face three Champions League clubs and one of their direct Bundesliga competitors.

Demichelis Needs A Response

The timing is uncomfortable because Die Roten Bullen entered the break needing exactly what Demichelis has been denied: time together.

There have been encouraging performances under the Argentine, particularly at home, but they have been accompanied by defeats away to Werder Bremen and Leverkusen as well as the Champions League loss against Como.

Consistency has yet to arrive.

The next four matches will provide little hiding place.

Frankfurt will test where Leipzig stand domestically. PSV could already influence the direction of their Champions League campaign. Bayern remain the benchmark in Germany. Then comes Madrid at the Bernabéu.

Demichelis has 12 days that could tell the club considerably more about their season.

He gets two proper training sessions to prepare for them.

From here the stage only gets bigger.