Quiz query. Who’s the one participant to attain twice within the first half of a Manchester Metropolis recreation on the Etihad Stadium this season? Maybe surprisingly, the reply is just not Erling Haaland. It’s not even Julian Alvarez. The participant is RB Leipzig ahead Lois Openda.
The Belgium worldwide has been a revelation within the Bundesliga since arriving from Lens in the summertime. His report of 11 targets and 4 assists places him among the many high 5 gamers within the competitors for purpose involvements this season and it’s no sizzling streak.
Openda has had extra pictures than any Bundesliga participant, together with Harry Kane. Solely Kylian Mbappe has had extra makes an attempt than him throughout Europe’s main leagues. At 23, Leipzig seems to be prefer it was the suitable step – and it’s unlikely to be his final one.
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Requested by Sky Sports activities why he selected Leipzig, Openda explains: “It was the proper workforce for me to progress. For those who look how they play the sport, how they defend, how they assault, the enjoying model is an efficient reference to me as a participant with my profile.”
He cites the examples of Benjamin Sesko and Xavi Simons, who additionally joined in the summertime. “I talked with my household they usually stated it was a high membership for the event of the participant as a result of I’m actually younger they usually give loads of confidence to younger gamers,” he provides.
“That’s the reason in addition they made this transfer. This workforce is high for the event of high gamers and I wish to be a high participant. I wish to play for the very best groups on the planet. I hope I’ll try this. The transfer to Leipzig can assist me to try this. That’s the reason I got here to Leipzig.”
All through the course of a 30-minute dialogue with a small group of journalists, that self-belief shines by way of. He talks of idolising Didier Drogba when he was a baby. “I needed to be in the future a high striker like him. Why not be higher than him? I’ve to work on that.”
With a disarming smile, it by no means comes throughout as conceitedness. Not least as a result of there have been moments of doubt, moments when confidence was misplaced. His closing 19 video games for boyhood facet Membership Brugge didn’t yield a purpose. A mortgage transfer proved the catalyst.
“I didn’t have loads of confidence and I made a decision to go to Vitesse, a great membership in Holland. I went there to have minutes. To point out my high quality, to get this confidence again.” With the assistance of head coach Thomas Letsch, now at Bochum, Openda was in a position to try this.
“The coach was high, he helped me rather a lot. From the primary day, he informed me I might play and present my high quality, ‘I consider in you.’ Whenever you hear this from a coach, it’s high. Since then, the arrogance I had after I was younger enjoying for the youth workforce was again.”
It has been nothing however success ever since.
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Openda describes his two years at Vitesse as “good” and chooses the identical phrase when recalling his yr at Lens – with good cause. He scored 21 targets in Ligue 1, together with a hat-trick inside 5 minutes in opposition to Clermont, the competitors’s quickest for 56 years.
It was sufficient to influence Leipzig he was prepared for the subsequent problem and that religion has been rewarded. His involvement within the World Cup for Belgium was transient as a result of this can be a participant with a aptitude for the large event – as these targets in opposition to Manchester Metropolis present.
“To attain in opposition to Metropolis is just not simple,” he says. But, not solely did he handle it twice in Manchester, he scored within the residence recreation too. His first purpose of 2023 got here on New 12 months’s Day in opposition to Paris Saint-Germain. His first Bundesliga purpose was in opposition to Bayer Leverkusen.
Openda has since scored in opposition to Bayern Munich, persevering with a development that has been a function of his fledgling profession. This can be a big-game participant. At Vitesse, he scored three targets in 4 appearances in opposition to Ajax and matched that scoring report in opposition to Feyenoord.
His tempo and energy, coupled with a capability to get pictures off shortly, means he can bother any workforce and there will probably be alternatives to showcase this big-game report within the coming days, weeks and months. Leipzig face Actual Madrid within the Champions League.
However earlier than that there’s a large Bundesliga recreation in opposition to leaders Leverkusen on Saturday. Leipzig are 12 factors behind in fourth spot however with lots to play for given they’re just one level behind Stuttgart and have Borussia Dortmund chasing them.
“We’ve our aims. The primary a part of the season was good. It might be higher. We nonetheless wish to be within the high 4. We’ve time to be higher. Now we’re targeted for the second a part of the season. It can be crucial for us to remain within the Champions League.”
These are the membership’s aims. For now, they align with Openda’s. He talks of being made to really feel welcome. “From the primary day I really feel like I’m at residence.” Of getting a powerful connection along with his team-mates. Of working with a powerful head coach in Marco Rose.
“We’ve a system the place we will benefit from the soccer and present our high quality. The coach is basically clever and is aware of the place to place the gamers.” He provides: “I’ve every part right here to coach, to have my restoration, after which to do my job on the pitch on the weekend.”
He talks of committing to remain for this season and subsequent.
“I’ve signed a contract for 5 years. I’m good right here. I’m targeted for this season as a result of it is crucial for my improvement and we can have subsequent season [here] as a result of it’s actually necessary for me. I do not wish to say something about leaving. I really feel actually good right here.”
However the message is evident. When Openda talks of Leipzig being “the proper workforce for me to progress” the important thing level is that he’s simply getting began. He names one in all his Metropolis targets as his favorite however provides: “I wish to rating so many targets that I overlook all of the targets.”
There’s rather more to return.
“I do know I’m not good. I’ve missed some targets. I wish to change this and rating one or two targets each recreation and be the highest scorer.
“I do know I can do it.”
