1st Team

Spotlight on RB Leipzig

Posted by
Frédéric Rostain
On Thursday 5 April 2018 at 08:00

Founded in 2009 by a famous energy drink group, Rasen Ballsport Leipzig first had to climb the regional ladder one division by one division between 2009 and 2013 before competing in the national championships. 

Between 2013 and 2016, in three seasons, Leipzig climbed from the third tier to the top-flight in Germany. For its first season in the famous Bundesliga, newly promoted RB Leipzig created a sensation by finishing second, just behind Bayern Munich.

In 2017-2018, Leipzig qualified for the group stage of the Champions League. The German club was placed in the same group as Monaco, Porto and Besiktas. After finishing third in a tough group, the Leipzig players continued their first-ever European campaign into to the Europa League where they eliminated Napoli in the last 16 and Zenit St. Petersburg in the quarter-final.

The RB Leipzig is currently fourth in the German league with 46 points six short of the second, Schalke 04. It remains on a series of four games without defeat (2 draws, 2 losses) and caused a sensation by beating Bayern Munich (2- 1) at the 27th day.

RB Leipzig

Founded : 2009
Colours: Red and White
City: Leipzig
Stadium : RB Arena
Capacity : 42558 seats
President : Oliver Mintzlaff
League Ranking 2016-17 : 2nd with 67 points (20 victories, 7 draws, 7 defeats, 66 goals for, 39 goals against)

League Ranking (after 28 matches) : 4th with 46 points (13 victories, 7 draws, 8 defeats, 43 goals for, 37 goals against)

The Team

Goalkeepers : Coltorti, Köhn, Mvogo, Gulasci
Defenders : Bernardo, Orban, Upamecano, Konaté, Klostermann, Schmitz, Halstenberg
Midfielders : Sabitzer, Keita, Ilsanker, Kaiser, Laimer, Demme, Kampl
Forwards : Poulsen, Forsberg, Werner, Bruma, Lookman, Augustin

Manager: Ralph Hasenhüttl (pictured)

European Campaign 2017-18

Champions League – Groupe G – 1st day: Leipzig 1-1 Monaco
Champions League – Groupe G – 2nd day: Besiktas 2-0 Leipzig
Champions League – Groupe G – 3rd day: Leipzig 3-2 Porto
Champions League – Groupe G – 4th day: Porto 3-1 Leipzig
Champions League – Groupe G – 5th day: Monaco 1-4 Leipzig
Champions League – Groupe G – 6th day: Leipzig 1-2 Besiktas
3rd in Group G: 2 wins, 1 draw, 3 defeats, 10 goals for, 11 goals against.

Europa League – last 32 first leg: Napoli 1-3 Leipzig
Europa League – last 32 second leg: Leipzig 0-2 Napoli
Europa League – last 16 first leg: Leipzig 2-1 Zenit
Europa League – last 16 second leg: Zenit 1-1 Leipzig