by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, Oct. 22 (Xinhua) -- RB Leipzig has become familiar with Europe's legendary teams during the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign.

After facing Atletico Madrid and Juventus, the 2023 German Cup winners will now host Liverpool FC this Wednesday evening.

While Leipzig recorded narrow defeats against Atletico Madrid (2-1) and Juventus (3-2), their match against Liverpool offers another opportunity for the German side to make an impact. Despite the two losses, coach Marco Rose's team pushed both giants to the brink, with both games decided in the dying minutes.

Liverpool, the current Premier League leaders, present a formidable challenge, but Leipzig's top scorer, Slovenian international Benjamin Sesko, will once again step into the spotlight. Sesko has scored all three of Leipzig's Champions League goals so far, adding to his tally of two goals and two assists in the 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign, which was a clear sign of the 21-year-old's rising form.

Leipzig's defensive stability makes them a serious contender. Unbeaten in the Bundesliga and conceding just two goals in seven games, they pose a strong challenge for Liverpool. Sesko, often compared to Manchester City's Erling Haaland due to his similar physical attributes (Sesko: 1.95 meters, Haaland: 1.94 meters), has largely avoided the spotlight. "It doesn't make sense to compare me to Haaland," Sesko has said, adding, "I have my own path."

Sesko's potential has drawn interest from top European clubs, with Arsenal, PSG, and Milan rumored to have been tracking him. Despite reports of a 65-million-euro exit clause, the 37-time capped forward extended his contract with Leipzig until 2029.

Leipzig's strong defensive record-six clean sheets in seven league games-and Sesko's goal-scoring prowess position them as serious contenders in Europe. For Sesko, the upcoming duel with Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk, one of Europe's top defenders, could be decisive in Wednesday's clash.

Pundits and coaches have predicted a bright future for Sesko. Bayern Munich's sporting director Christoph Freund and RB Leipzig CEO Marcel Schafer have closely followed his progress, having discovered him, like Haaland, in the Red Bull system. Though Sesko may not yet match Haaland's physical dominance, his technical skills continue to develop as he adapts to the faster pace of the Bundesliga.

While Haaland currently has the edge in terms of efficiency, Sesko is closing the gap. It's no bold prediction to say he could soon be playing for one of Europe's top clubs. ■