Crashing and Burning: RB Leipzig's Disastrous Slide Towards Non-Qualification for Champions League
Leipzig's Soccer Team teeters on the Edge of Irreversible Ruin
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link With a bitter stalemate against Bremen, RB Leipzig's last hope for Champions League glory goes up in smoke. As the season nears its end, the CEO delivers a merciless verdict.
The Leipzig squad, scattered across the Weser Stadium turf, echoed the grim silence that hung over the stands. A 0:0 draw with Werder Bremen marked the end of a lucky streak - the Champions League will no longer welcome RB Leipzig for the first time in seven years. This could just be the tip of the iceberg.
"One gets what one deserves," muttered Peter Gulácsi under his breath. After putting in his best efforts, prevent a loss with numerous saves, Gulácsi appeared ashamed of Leipzig's lackluster season performance. "Such a dismal display," growled sports CEO Marcel Schäfer to the media later, "isn't befitting a Champions League contender."
In truth, the multimillion-dollar enterprise, RB, faces a monumental task ahead - a grueling showdown waits in its last week. Nearly four months after the arrival of Jurgen Klopp as Leipzig's football boss, the team risks missing not just the Champions League, but even European competition for the first time since its 2016/17 Bundesliga debut. Leipzig sank to seventh place on Saturday.
"Crippling Disappointment"
"There's pain, there's crippling disappointment," confided forward Christoph Baumgartner after yet another unimpressive Leipzig outing. "We must confront the truth," the situation is a "rotten mess." The team, led by interim coach Zsolt Löw, who filled in for Marco Rose at the end of March, must rally for one final push to secure a European spot. "There's nothing worse than being a spectator," Baumgartner lamented.
Regardless of any potential qualification for the Conference League or Europa League, Leipzig faces a major overhaul - that much is certain. "We'll need to make changes that we maybe didn't foresee at the beginning of this season," Schäfer warned. It's about taking "bold steps and implementing the plans with all consequences" to create "a genuine RB team" once again. He declined further comment in Bremen. The most crucial question on Leipzig's mind will likely be who takes over as its new coach.
Meanwhile, though celebrating their strong performance, Bremen felt a pang of disappointment, too. The Club's slim European Cup chances evaporated. The sixth place, which guarantees qualification for the Conference League, is all but unattainable for Green-Whites, given the three-point and goal-difference deficits.
Insights:
The Current Scene:- RB Leipzig's chances for the Champions League are gone, as they'll miss it for the second time in nine seasons since their 2017 promotion.- Currently, they're in 7th place, having won 13 matches, tied 12, and lost 8 games.- For a chance to qualify for Europa League, they need to clinch a win in their final match against Stuttgart on May 17.
Future Endeavors:- RB Leipzig plans for an international post-season tour in Brazil this year, featuring matches against São Paulo, Red Bull Bragantino, and Santos.- The team expects changes during the off-season as Jurgen Klopp takes on a new role and the club aims to improve its competitive standing.
- The CEO of RB Leipzig, Marcel Schäfer, suggested that vocational training might be considered as part of the community aid efforts to rebuild the team, stating, "We'll need to make changes that we maybe didn't foresee at the beginning of this season."
- Despite the disappointment of missing the Champions League, Lucien Favre, the former coach of Borussia Dortmund and current CEO of Red Bull Bragantino, has expressed his interest in leading RB Leipzig, adding another name to the list of potential new coaches.
- In an attempt to foster a strong team spirit and distract from the disappointing season, RB Leipzig is planning a football tournament in Leipzig this summer, inviting teams from across Europe, including Leipzig's sister club, Red Bull Salzburg.
- Leipzig-based watch manufacturer Glashütte Original, in collaboration with RB Leipzig, has launched a limited edition timepiece, entitled "The RB Champion," as part of their ongoing commitment to support and recognize the accomplishments of the team, regardless of their current standing in European leagues.
