Borussia Monchengladbach 0-0 RB Leipzig Player Ratings: Castello Rated 8/10 as Match Ends in frustrating goalless draw

What a frustrating night of football at the Stadion im Borussia-Park. The final score of 0-0, tells none of the real story of this Bundesliga encounter. It was a classic tale of attacking profligacy versus defensive resilience, a narrative that left us pulling our hair out.

From our perspective, Leipzig will be kicking themselves all the way back home. They had 16 shots, hit the woodwork, and forced the excellent Moritz Nicolas into several key saves. It felt like one of those games where they could have played all night and not scored. The body language of their forwards told you everything you needed to know; sheer disbelief and frustration.

Borussia Mönchengladbach, on the other hand, will see this as a point hard-earned. They rode their luck, no doubt, especially with a VAR decision disallowing a Franck Honorat goal in the second half. But their defensive shape was superb, and they battled for every ball. This match was a testament to their grit, even if it was short on quality in the final third.

Here are Borussia Monchengladbach Vs RB Leipzig Player Ratings

RB Leipzig Player Ratings vs Borussia Monchengladbach

Here are RB Leipzig Player Ratings vs Borussia Monchengladbach

Goalkeeper

Péter Gulácsi - 6.5: Had surprisingly little to do for a goalkeeper in an away fixture. He was mostly a spectator. He came and claimed what he needed to, punching twice and showing a good high claim. His distribution was solid. Not much to judge him on, a quiet night at the office.

Defenders

Willi Orbán - 7.0: A really solid outing from the captain for the most part. He was strong in the air, winning four aerial duels, and read the game well with five clearances. However, he did commit a foul for a penalty that was ultimately not given after a VAR check. That moment of madness docks him half a point, otherwise a very commanding display.

Ridle Baku - 6.5: A decent, if unspectacular, performance. He was tidy in possession with a 91% pass accuracy but picked up a needless yellow card. He supported the attack but didn't provide that killer final ball. Did his defensive duties without too much fuss. Just an average day.

David Raum - 7.5: What stood out to us was his relentless energy down the left flank. He was Leipzig's most creative outlet by a country mile, creating an incredible five chances. It was a cruel twist of fate that his powerful shot cannoned back off the post. His final ball was a constant menace, but it's a shame his teammates couldn't convert.

Castello Lukeba - 8.0: Our Man of the Match. A colossal performance at the back. He had 105 touches, showing how involved he was in building from the back. Defensively, he was a monster with 3 clearances and 2 tackles, and he even popped up with two key passes. An almost flawless display from the young defender who oozed class.

Midfielders

Nicolas Seiwald - 7.0: The engine room of the Leipzig midfield. He was incredibly efficient, recycling possession with a 93% pass accuracy and winning 5 of his 7 duels. He kept things simple and effective, breaking up play and setting the tempo for his team. A very disciplined and impressive performance.

Christoph Baumgartner - 5.5: A night to forget for the Austrian. From our perspective, he looked off the pace. He lost possession a staggering 15 times and received a yellow card for a clumsy challenge. He just couldn't get into the rhythm of the game and looked frustrated throughout. A definite weak link.

Xaver Schlager - 6.0: He was combative and broke up play, as you'd expect. However, he also picked up a booking and was substituted after 66 minutes. He did his job adequately but didn't impose himself on the match as he can. A functional, but not exceptional, performance.

Forwards

Antonio Nusa - 7.5: He was electric in the first half. Every time he got the ball, you felt something could happen. He created three chances and his dribbling caused all sorts of problems. We were genuinely surprised to see him substituted on 66 minutes; he looked like the one most likely to unlock the Gladbach defence.

Conrad Harder - 6.5: The definition of a frustrating night for a striker. He got into great positions and had five shots, but his finishing was wayward. He only tested the keeper twice and just couldn't find that clinical edge. You could see the exasperation on his face with each missed chance. Needed to be better.

Yan Diomande - 7.0: A lively and intelligent performance. He linked up play well and created three chances, including the big one for Raum that hit the post. He drifted into smart positions but, like his fellow attackers, lacked that final product. A good performance that promised more.

Substitutes

Johan Bakayoko - 6.0: Came on but couldn't provide the spark needed to break the deadlock.Ezechiel Banzuzi - 6.0: Added fresh legs but had little impact.Tidiam Gomis - N/A: Not on long enough to rate.

Manager

O. Werner - 6.0: His team dominated the match and created enough chances to win three games. Tactically, he got it right, but he can't put the ball in the net for his players. His substitutions didn't have the desired effect, which he has to take some responsibility for. A frustrating evening for him too.

Borussia Monchengladbach Player Ratings vs RB Leipzig

Here are Borussia Monchengladbach Player Ratings vs RB Leipzig

Goalkeeper

Moritz Nicolas - 7.5: The clear hero for Gladbach. He was the reason they came away with a point. He made 3 crucial saves, including excellent stops to deny Harder. He commanded his box with authority and his handling was secure all night. A top-class goalkeeping display.

Defenders

Kevin Diks - 7.0: A calm and composed head in a frantic defensive effort. His passing was crisp (92% accuracy) and he won both of his duels. Didn't do anything flashy but was incredibly effective and reliable. Exactly what his team needed.

Luca Netz - 6.5: A solid defensive shift. He made four important clearances and didn't take any risks. He was pegged back for most of the game by Leipzig's attack but he stuck to his task diligently. A disciplined performance.

Joe Scally - 6.0: It was a tough evening for the American. He struggled with the movement of Raum and Nusa, losing possession 19 times. He did make 3 tackles but was often on the back foot. A battling performance but one where he was second best in his individual duels.

Nico Elvedi - 7.0: A real leader at the back. He was in the right place at the right time to make 5 clearances and won the majority of his duels. He organized the backline superbly under immense pressure. A proper old-school defender's performance.

Midfielders

Yannik Engelhardt - 6.5: He worked tirelessly in midfield, making a couple of interceptions and clearances. His passing was safe and secure. He did the dirty work well but offered little going forward. A selfless but quiet game.

Florian Neuhaus - 6.5: Tried to be the creative spark for his team but it didn't quite come off. He lost possession 14 times, which really hampered his team's ability to build attacks. He showed flashes of quality but was inconsistent before being subbed.

Jens Castrop - 6.5: A bundle of energy in the middle. He worked hard defensively but struggled to retain the ball, losing it 15 times. His evening was unfortunately cut short by an injury. He gave it his all while he was on the pitch.

Rocco Reitz - 7.0: The captain led by example with a tenacious display. He provided the assist for the disallowed goal and was always in the thick of the action. The downside was his high number of possessions lost (18), but his effort couldn't be faulted. A real warrior's performance.

Forwards

Franck Honorat - 7.0: He must have felt the highest of highs and lowest of lows. He thought he'd scored the winner, only for VAR to cruelly rule it out. His crossing was a threat all evening, and he was his team's most dangerous attacking player. A lively and unfortunate performance.

Haris Tabakovic - 5.5: A really difficult and thankless task for him up front. He was completely isolated and starved of service. Won a few headers but had little to no impact on the game before being substituted. The game passed him by.

Substitutes

Shuto Machino - 6.5: Made an impact by winning a penalty, even if it wasn't given.Giovanni Reyna - 6.0: Showed some nice touches but couldn't find a way through.Marvin Friedrich - 6.0: Brought on to shore up the defence and did his job.Tim Kleindienst - N/A: On too late to make a difference.

Manager

E. Polanski - 7.0: He'll be delighted with this point. He set his team up to be compact, deep, and difficult to beat, and they executed his plan perfectly. They were disciplined, organized, and rode their luck. A tactical masterclass in getting a result against a superior attacking team.

Sportsdunia's player of the match is Castello