The roles couldn't be more defined in advance of RB Leipzig's quarterfinal match against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League this Thursday evening.

But coach Julian Nagelsmann isn't talking about his team's underdog status.

On the contrary, the 33-year-old is counting on a confident approach before crossing swords with the three-time Europa League winners and two-time Champions League finalists.

He is deliberately mentioning a possible "German final" with his team meeting Bayern Munich on August 23.

"It takes imagination, yes. But it is not impossible," he said. Turning faith into conviction seems the right way to kick the can down the road from his perspective.

Instead of complaining about replacing his best striker Timo Werner, who has departed for Chelsea, he is surprisingly open when speaking about an agreement with Atletico's rival Real Madrid to discuss a possible engagement at the Spanish giants in the future.

"I was on their list, and the list wasn't too long," he commented. But in 2018, he didn't feel it was the right time to join the famous club.

At the age of 31, he rejected the offer from Madrid. "We came about to talk about this some time later," he said, admitting to having had constructive talks on the phone with Real general manager Jose Angel Sanchez.

It might be part of Nagelsmann's strategy to mention his Real connection in advance of what is seen as an unequal duel in the Estadio Jose Alvalade in Lisbon.

Pleasurably he announces: "We might talk again in the future."

In talking about Real, he is attempting to lift his side to a similar level to that of their opponents.

Nagelsmann is referring to the fact "that this time only one game decides." He is convinced there is greater scope for surprises.

It is part of the coach's DNA to always point at the possibilities no matter how small they might be.

Facing big favorites Atletico, Nagelsmann is slipping into the familiar role of a gambler.

As a side effect, Real officials might keep a close eye on the outcome of Thursday's game.

As if it were far from a disadvantage, he is talking about the loss of Werner. The German international chose to skip the final stages of the Champions League with his former club in order to have a solid start with the Blues in London.

The Leipzig coach refers to the qualities of his remaining strikers such as on-loan Patrick Schick, Dani Olmo, Christopher Nkunku and Yussuf Poulsen in compensating for Werner's influence in the successful campaign to date.

After all, Werner scored four goals and provided two assists in the Champions League. In the domestic season, his tally was 28 goals and nine assists.

Instead, Leipzig officials report about Schick's determination to lead his side to the semifinal. That Schick is said to return to parent club AS Roma after the Champions League campaign doesn't play a vital role, they claim.

RB is in negotiations with Roma about a permanent transfer, but an agreement seems far away at present. "All of this isn't part of our thoughts at present. Our minds are occupied with the once-in-a-lifetime chance we have," Nagelsmann said. 

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