Julian Nagelsmann Threatens to Slide Tackle Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as 1999 Revenge

RB Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann has joked that he will tackle Manchester United counterpart Ole Gunnar Solskjaer on the touchline when the clubs meet in the Champions League on Wednesday night, taking revenge for the Norwegian’s iconic winner against Bayern Munich in 1999.

Nagelsmann grew up a Bayern fan and was gutted to see his team beaten in such dramatic late fashion, with United trailing at Camp Nou as the game ticked into stoppage time.

“I'll slide [tackle] him away first,” Nagelsmann is quoted as saying by Kicker as he jokingly recalled Solskjaer breaking his 11-year-old heart all those years ago.

“I wasn't the happiest person. My dad was a Gladbach fan at the time and he teased me a bit. He was happy that Bayern didn't win. I wasn't that happy.”

Nagelsmann, who has earned the nickname ‘Baby Mourinho’, has been considered one of Europe’s brightest coaches ever since he was appointed at Hoffenheim when he was still only 28, and therefore the youngest coach in Bundesliga history.

He has prepared for Wednesday’s clash at Old Trafford in great detail, meaning he will not take things lightly regardless of his opponent’s poor start to the season.

“When I analyse an opponent, I do not look at the results,”, Nagelsmann told the Daily Mail.

“I try to find out how they score goals, concede, build up play, counter attack, counter-press, other things. So the result doesn't count for much. In the end I don't think any of my players will say Man U is not that good.”

Nagelsmann has been heavily linked with replacing Solskjaer at United and one newspaper report has even unfairly labelled the game as an ‘audition’ for the 33-year-old. His enthusiastic respect for United and the club’s history will do little to dampen the speculation.

“I've never played in Old Trafford or been there. It will be a great experience. I watched a lot of games in the Theatre of Dreams and of Manchester United on television. Now to be part of the stadium will be perfect,” he said.

“Ryan Giggs did a lot of big games for Manchester United, Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy…a lot of players. I watched nearly every game of Manchester United 10 years ago, when I was a younger guy and a player. Sir Alex Ferguson had a long and very successful time for Manchester United so it was also interesting to watch him, what he changed from one season to the next.”

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!