The favorite opponent came at just the right time: As usual, RB Leipzig had no problems with Hertha BSC and took the first step to correct the false start in the Bundesliga.
The championship runner-up defeated the capital city club 6-0 (3-0) on Saturday and finally won the second victory in the sixth game.
Before the trend-setting game in the Champions League on Tuesday against Club Bruges, coach Jesse Marsch has a little more peace of mind.
Christopher Nkunku (16th minute) rewarded the highly superior Leipzigers with the lead early on. Yussuf Poulsen (23rd) expanded this in front of 23,500 spectators in his first starting eleven this season. Nordi Mukiele (45th + 2) made the preliminary decision in the one-sided game before the break. Emil Forsberg (60th / foul penalty), again Nkunku (70th) and Amadou Haidara (77th) made the shooting festival perfect. In the overall balance against Hertha, Leipzig celebrated the ninth victory in the eleventh duel and scored a total of 39 times.
After the stumbling start with only one win, Marsch turned almost everything inside out. New turf, new tactics, new striker. Above all, the return to the three-way chain practiced under predecessor Julian Nagelsmann gave the Leipzig game more security and stability. And at the front, Poulsen, Forsberg and Nkunku, who had moved into the starting eleven for André Silva, ensured that the Berlin defense sometimes had panic attacks while building up the game.
Forsberg could have put a damper on it after just three minutes.
But after a major mistake by Hertha goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow while running out, the Swede's shot at the empty goal only hit the head of Marton Dardai.
However, the action showed what the audience would expect this afternoon: Extremely pressing and ball-safe Leipzigers as well as a Berlin team, in which the self-confidence of the last two victories in a row was little noticeable.
After a long ball from Klostermann, which Poulsen let pass with presence of mind, Nkunku found himself in front of Schwolow and only had to lift the ball over the Berlin keeper.
At the second goal, Nkunku, sent by Haidara, thanked Poulsen with a cross pass.
Hertha didn't really take place offensively, had problems building up their own game.
The third Leipzig Gate was practically just a matter of time, precision - and video evidence.
First Forsberg (34th) hit the bar, then Klostermann's (36th) goal was denied by the Cologne basement because of offside.
But even the referee on the screen had no objections to the Mukiele goal served by a wonderfully long Angeliño free kick.
Hertha coach Pal Dardai reacted to the fiasco at halftime and switched from a back three to a back four in defense.
In addition, the Hungarian brought Dennis Jastrzembski as the left winger, who was supposed to feed the former Leipzig Davie Selke with crosses.
To do this, Hertha needed the ball - and that was still a problem at first.
Marton Dardai (50th) simply sent Nkunku on the trip with an unbelievable bad pass, but he shot over it.
Mukiele's shot (53rd) also landed over the goal after RB was allowed to combine through the Hertha penalty area as in training.
When things got fast, Hertha was helpless.
Poulsen sent Nkunku into the Berlin penalty area and that's where national player Niklas Stark unpacked a tackle.
Forsberg converted the penalty easily.
Then Marsch switched to Bruges mode and took Poulsen, Forsberg and Kevin Kampl off the field.
RB didn’t let up, especially Nkunku.
The Frenchman put a free kick into the corner from 18 meters, and Haidara followed suit seven minutes later.