RB Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi says head coach Julian Nagelsmann was right to question his players' desire in the Bundesliga title race, just before they face rivals Borussia Moenchengladbach and Bayern Munich in quick succession.
Leipzig's lead over Bayern at the top was slashed to a single point last Saturday after they went down 2-0 at Eintracht Frankfurt, their first defeat in any competition since October.
Nagelsmann, their 32-year-old coach, responded to a disappointing performance by questioning whether his team has the right mentality to win the league for the first time in the club's short history, calling them "still far from being a top team".
"We need to decide whether or not we push towards the title, or whether we stay here, have something to eat and drink, and fall back into the pack," he added.
Leipzig host third-placed Gladbach on Saturday, with a trip to face defending champions Bayern coming up next weekend.
"If you are completely honest, the coach was right," Hungarian shot-stopper Gulacsi told AFP in Leipzig.
"We hadn't implemented everything as we had discussed it during the week," before the Frankfurt defeat.
"The coach chose the right moment, it was important, and right, to get the team fired up before this important phase against Moenchengladbach and Bayern."
"Their forward line has great speed and physical attributes, it's going to be a difficult game, but we are ready and want the three points at home."
"In the Champions League, these are the games we have been fighting to play in."
One to watch: Erling Braut Haaland
==================================
Key stats
=========