RB Leipzig are in a difficult moment after a humiliating 6-1 defeat at Bayern Munich on Matchday 6 of the Bundesliga exposed deep problems in Demichelis's squad, particularly away from home. The result was not simply a bad day at the office. Leipzig have now lost all four of their away fixtures across the Bundesliga and Champions League this season, having conceded heavily in each one, and sit seventh in the table with nine points from six games. All nine of those league points have come at home.

The performance in Munich drew sharp criticism. Lothar Matthäus questioned Demichelis's decision to start Lukas Klostermann at right back after months without a Bundesliga start, noting that four of the first five goals came down that side. Matthäus also raised concerns about how effectively Demichelis communicates with his squad, given the language barriers within the dressing room. Leipzig's sporting director Marcel Schäfer called it a complete failure across every area of the pitch. The tactical identity Demichelis is trying to build remains unclear, and speculation about his future has been present since early September.

The squad does carry quality, as Christopher Nkunku's form and Brajan Gruda's contributions in Europe demonstrate. But the gap between home and away performances is stark and unsustainable for a club with Champions League ambitions. Leipzig face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, a fixture that arrives at the worst possible time and will test both the squad's resilience and Demichelis's standing at the club.