RB Leipzig’s Managing Director Schäfer Critiques Team and Announces Major Overhaul

After failing to secure a spot in the Champions League, RB Leipzig’s managing director Marcel Schäfer has expressed his disappointment and announced a substantial overhaul of the team. Following a fortunate 0-0 draw in the Bundesliga against Werder Bremen, which eliminated their chances for a fourth-place finish, Schäfer stated, „Such performance is not worthy of a Champions League contender.“

He continued to emphasize that the team lacked many essential qualities needed to compete at the highest level, asserting, „I stand by the fact that we are rightly positioned where we are.“ This statement indicates a challenging summer ahead for the club as they look to address both sporting and financial aspects.

Looking towards the future, Schäfer sees this situation as an opportunity to implement changes that have long been necessary. He stated, „It’s about approaching and implementing plans with all seriousness to put together a ‚real RB team‘ again.“ This commitment to transformation highlights the urgency for improvements within the squad.

As the season draws to a close, Leipzig faces a crucial match against VfB Stuttgart, where they aim to at least qualify for the Europa League. Christoph Baumgartner expressed a determined attitude, saying, „Then we’ll just go for the Europa League title.“ He also lamented the frustration of not being part of international competition, stating, „Not playing internationally during the week and just watching is the worst thing there is.“ Currently, Leipzig sits seventh in the table and would not qualify even for the UEFA Conference League.