Baumgartner benefits

Schlager at Leipzig as important as Rodri at City

Leipzig is delighted that Xaver Schlager is fit again for the starting eleven.(Bild: GEPA)

He began his career at Sturm Graz, was cup winner with Austria Vienna, played 160 matches in the English Premier League and seven international matches for Austria - Johannes Ertl. Today, the Styrian is a TV pundit for CANAL + and PULS 4/PULS 24. On Friday evening, he will be at the Allianz Arena for the German hit between Bayern and Leipzig. In the run-up to the match, he is particularly enthusiastic about Xaver Schlager.

Ertl emphasizes: "Leipzig coach Marco Rose said after Schlager's return to the starting eleven in the 2-1 home win against Frankfurt that Xaver is the pacemaker and aggressive leader, a very strategic player and that Manchester City without Rodri is also something else. I found the comparison very apt. Leipzig was also something else without Schlager."

Johannes Ertl (right) will be the TV pundit for PULS 4/PULS 24 on Friday evening for the Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Leipzig.(Bild: PULS 4/PULS 24)

"Seiwald is an absolute constant"
Christoph Baumgartner also raves about Schlager's comeback: "He's an incredibly important player for us. I'm a different player with him on the pitch. He knows me and knows which spaces I'm in. He sometimes plays the ball blind and gets into my situations." "Baumi" set up both goals against Leipzig. Ertl: "Baumgartner is now getting more and more into his stride, but unlike the national team, he has yet to score a goal for Leipzig this season." Nicolas Seiwald is a fixture for the Saxons. The TV pundit says of him: "He's an absolute constant, does a great job."

Ertl also has a very high opinion of Bayern's Konrad Laimer (left).(Bild: AP/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Ertl is looking forward to Konrad Laimer at Bayern Munich: "He's a player that every coach likes to have in his team. With him, you always know what you're going to get. Konny does an impeccable job as a right-back. He has also gained a lot of quality in offense."

Ertl will be working as co-commentator and co-moderator in Munich and is very fond of both roles. Puls 4 will also broadcast selected German Bundesliga matches next year. For example, "Johnny" will also be at Bayern Munich's home game against Hoffenheim on January 15: "That will be special for me. I studied with coach Christian Ilzer and played with sports director Andreas Schicker at Austria."