Roger Schmidt, Jürgen Klopp's successor as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull, pushed internally to retain RB Leipzig coach Martin Demichelis following a heavy Champions League defeat. The Red Bull executive's influence contributed to the club's public backing of the manager this week.
Sporting managing director Marcel Schäfer addressed the situation clearly on Tuesday. He said the club had noticed the discussions in the media and on social networks. He stated they are very ambitious and self-critical.
Schäfer pointed to the challenging circumstances. New players were integrated and the team had to deal with injuries. Now important players are returning. A newly assembled team needs time to find itself and develop routines.
Current Context
The public support arrives as RB Leipzig sit ninth in the Bundesliga table. After four matchdays, the squad has six points. The most recent defeat was a 2-0 loss at Bayer Leverkusen on September 20. The form from the last five competitive matches shows two wins and three defeats.
Martin Demichelis took over the role last summer, replacing Ole Werner. The former Bayern Munich defender began with a high-scoring cup win and a victory on the opening Bundesliga matchday. Since then, however, only one further win has come from four league games, meaning the points return in the league has dropped off significantly after the strong start.
The next test for Demichelis's team is on October 10. RB Leipzig then host Eintracht Frankfurt, who currently sit in tenth place, at home. An overview of the current league table is available in the standings view.
Internal discussion about a potential early dismissal of Demichelis had surfaced after the heavy Champions League loss. The intervention from Roger Schmidt, who previously worked with Demichelis, now proved decisive for the path of continuity. Schmidt thereby prevailed against other voices within the senior leadership who were considering an immediate dismissal.
More detail at goal.com
