Leipzig's urgency for the elite tier of European football is palpable.
With the rumors swirling about Jurgen Klopp becoming the new leader in the football world, RB Leipzig is currently faced with a disastrous opening in the Champions League. Following a 0:1 loss against Liverpool, they find themselves in a grim 31st position in the standings. Is Leipzig's football fairy tale coming to an end?
An inevitable turn of events occurred when RB Leipzig faced Mainz in the Bundesliga after the shocking announcement of the new "Global Head of Soccer" for their parent company. The next "El Kloppico" was the international stage's next challenge. The team that Klopp had only recently left, Liverpool, traveled to Leipzig.
"European Titans" proclaimed a banner in the Liverpool fan area. Leipzig has become well-acquainted with such titans. Atletico Madrid, Juventus Turin, and Liverpool. Hardly more prestigious opponents could be imagined for the Champions League opener. However, fewer points were to be earned. With a 0:1 final score against the Reds, now led by Dutchman Arne Slot on the bench, Leipzig is left with only three points. Meanwhile, Liverpool triumphs with nine points from three games. Leipzig, on the other hand, sinks into a bitter 31st place in the table. Only teams like Sturm Graz, Slovan Bratislava, or the sister club from Salzburg trail behind RB due to a "superior" goal difference.
"Sports, it's just that"
What all three games share, besides the point totals: Nothing can really be held against Leipzig. They never back down. Each game could be categorized as "If you don't try, you'll lose sometimes." After the game against Liverpool, as Marco Rose put it: "It's just sports, you know." Only Leipzig has lost all three. Against Liverpool, Leipzig kicks off with determination. Xavi fuels the momentum. In the 13th minute, a powerful long-range shot from Amadou Haidara sends a ripple of excitement through the stadium. Shortly after, Benjamin Sesko nearly scores a breathtaking goal with a clever finish after Liverpool keeper Caoimhin Kelleher fumbles. In the 26th minute, a goal is even scored. Lois Openda strikes the ball into the corner from a turn, but it is ruled offside, and momentary joy fades. Liverpool capitalizes on Leipzig's approach and takes the lead with its first real opportunity. Thereafter, Leipzig fails to mount any significant offense. Openda scores another offside goal, and Peter Gulácsi saves the day at the defensive end. To add insult to injury, Xavi is substituted out due to injury just before the final whistle.
The Same Old Story?
RB Leipzig seems to be hitting a wall, both on the field and as a whole project. Against Liverpool, Atletico, or Juventus Turin, as well as overall, Leipzig's limits have been exposed. After the meteoric rise from the obscurity of Saxon football to the Bundesliga, RB celebrated its zenith under now-Bundesliga coach Julian Nagelsmann. They reached the CL semi-final in 2020 and finished as runner-up in 2021. However, after Nagelsmann's departure to Bayern, the captivating narrative of the bold, dynamic, and relatively serious football upstart from the East ended. The seasons began to resemble each other. Every year, the club qualified for the Champions League effortlessly. But since the famous semi-final during the pandemic, RB has reliably been eliminated in the round of 16. That's not the level of excitement that RB aspires to maintain. It's nothing but the status quo. Same procedure as last year? Same procedure as every year.
Nevertheless, few other teams can dream of such consistency. Perhaps the combination of DFB-Pokal titles and league consistency makes RB, in some eyes, the second-best team in Germany in recent years. And even beyond the results, RB is making a positive impact in Leipzig. The career launchpad that RB aims to be is running at an optimal rate.
Two RB alumni, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ibrahima Konaté, returned to their old stomping grounds yesterday. Graduates of the RB academy can be found throughout the football elite - Manchester City (Gvardiol), Barcelona (Olmo), FC Bayern (Kimmich, Upamecano, Laimer). Perhaps 17-year-olds worldwide aspire to a move to RB, leading to a seamless transition to a top-tier club later. However, besides the firm foundation that propels the club into the top echelon and propels its talents onto the world stage, there is also a less glamorous, glass ceiling in Leipzig: the championship.
Klopp's Next Chapter
Former RB boss and current Red Bull CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff, recently touched on this. "We've never managed to seize the opportunity when the gap opened," he told "Kicker". And regarding the Champions League: "...That phase for RB Leipzig is now behind us."
The team has yet to prove otherwise. However, to achieve these goals, RB would likely need to undergo a radical transformation. Teams like Napoli or Atlético de Madrid have excelled due to their ability to retain key players for years. The sporting reality in Leipzig is vastly different. Xavi's departure is already a foregone conclusion for the end of the season, and Benjamin Sesko's future is a regular topic of discussion.
It appears that RB Leipzig's journey might be nearing its end. However, Jurgen Klopp is determined to create a captivating, adrenaline-pumping segment. Interestingly, a statement from his Liverpool era hints that he could be the ideal fit for this task. "I've never yearned for the finest team. I've never desired to be the best player or manager," he shared with "France Football" in 2018. "What I'm drawn to is surpassing the best." At present, RB is facing its toughest challenges in this area.
Despite the challenging start in the Champions League, Leipzig remains resilient, continuing to give their all in each game. Their next encounter in the Champions League is against Manchester City, another formidable opponent.
The Champions League campaign for Leipzig has been challenging, with only three points from their opening three matches, leaving them in a disappointing 31st position in the standings. Their upcoming game against Manchester City promises to be another test of their mettle in Europe's premier football competition.
