RB Leipzig vs. Club Brugge: UEFA Champions League probable line-ups, match stats and LIVE blog!

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American midfielder Adams was a surprise absentee from Saturday's squad due to a muscular problem and faces a race to be fit in time for this midweek clash. Leipzig did pretty well without him, though, as they thrashed Hertha Berlin 6-0 thanks to a star performance from Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman had scored a hat-trick in the opening European defeat at Manchester City, and was at his lethal best again against the Berliners with two goals, an assist and also winning a penalty. Jesse Marsch opted for a change of formation to a back three at the weekend, also starting Yussuf Poulsen up front instead of Andre Silva, but the Portugal international is expected to be restored for the visit of the Belgians. It begs the question of whether the American coach will choose to stick with that system or revert back to his usually preferred four-man defence. Dominik Szoboszlai is expected to come back into the team either way, with fellow playmaker Dani Olmo sidelined.

Brugge conceded a sloppy headed goal from a corner to trail at home to second-bottom OH Leuven on Friday and they needed a late equaliser from Clinton Mata - drilled home left-footed by the right-back - to get a point. Converting chances has been a problem of late for the Belgian champions, and Philippe Clement's side have netted only six times in their last four league matches despite having 32 attempts at goal against Leuven. Goalscoring opportunities should be harder to come by in Leipzig but the visitors have a settled and experienced side at Champions League level - almost progressing from their group along with Borussia Dortmund last term and drawing 1-1 with Paris Saint-Germain in this season's opener. Hans Vanaken got their equaliser in that 1-1 draw, and the playmaker is an obvious danger along with fellow Belgium international Charles De Ketelaere and lively Dutch attacker Noa Lang. Striker Bas Dost is also a familiar face to Bundesliga viewers, having even played alongside Silva for 18 months at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Match stats

Marsch is overseeing his third Champions League campaign as a head coach. Szoboszlai has been involved in every one (two with Salzburg).

Nkunku's Matchday 1 hat-trick made him the fourth player to score three goals in a Champions League defeat, after the Brazilian Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Irfan Can Kahveci.

Silva scored four goals in eight Champions League appearances for Porto in 2016/17.

Leipzig have won their last four European home games and are unbeaten on their own ground since a 2-0 loss to Lyon in the 2019/20 groups.

Dost scored 48 goals in 121 Bundesliga appearances for Wolfsburg and Frankfurt.

Brugge lost 3-0 home and away to Dortmund in last season's group stage, making it 10 games without a win against Bundesliga teams (D3, L7).

Probable line-ups

Leipzig: Gulacsi (c) - Klostermann, Orban, Simakan, Gvardiol - Haidara, Kampl - Szoboszlai, Forsberg, Nkunku - Silva

Out: Halstenberg (ankle), Olmo (thigh), Saracchi (knee)

Doubtful: Adams (muscular)

Coach: Jesse Marsch

Brugge: Mignolet - Mata, Hendry, N'Soki, Sobol - Vanaken (c), Alvarez, Rits - Sowah, De Ketelaere, Lang

Out: Vormer (Achilles' tendon)

Doubtful: Izquierdo (knock)

Coach: Philippe Clement