Berlin (AFP) - RB Leipzig crashed to a 3-1 defeat at ten-man Moenchengladbach on Monday in the Bundesliga, while fellow Europa League semi-finalists Eintracht Frankfurt also went down 2-0 at Bayer Leverkusen.
Leipzig face Rangers away at Ibrox in Thursday's semi-final return leg holding a 1-0 lead, but came unstuck at Borussia Park as Jonas Hofmann scored twice for the hosts.
Leipzig coach Domenico Tedesco refused to blame the poor performance on his team's busy schedule.
"That would be too easy," Tedesco told DAZN.
"In the first half we lacked any physicality and the tactics went out of the window."
Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi was also annoyed by the "sloppy play" before the break.
"We have an important game in three days, but we have big goals and for that we need points," he added with one eye on the Champions League places.
Gladbach striker Breel Embolo took advantage of poor Leipzig defending to sweep the hosts into a 1-0 lead after just 17 minutes at Borussia Park.
Leizpig equalised out of nothing when Marcel Halstenberg played the ball into the path of Nkunku, who fired in his 31st goal of the season.
However Moenchengladbach went into the break 2-1 up when Embolo played Hoffmann into space and the midfielder hit the bottom left corner.
Gladbach were reduced to ten men midway through the second half when Nico Elvedi was shown a red card for hauling down Nkunku, who was through on goal.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, Hoffmann netted his second goal of the game 23 minutes from time.
The defeat leaves Leipzig fifth in the table, a point outside the Champions League places for next season with two games left.
Likewise, Frankfurt were picked apart at Leverkusen, three days before their home Europa League semi-final against West Ham where they a hold a 2-1 lead after Thursday's away win.
Brazilian midfielder Paulinho fired Leverkusen into an early lead when he managed to fire through the legs of Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp.
Leverkusen doubled their lead when Schick hit the net with his 22nd league goal of the season after also firing through Trapp's legs.
"We have to show our different side.A few players will be fresh again," said Frankfurt captain Makoto Hasebe with one eye on Thursday's home semi-final against West Ham.
