Marco Rose Sacked By RB Leipzig As Pressure Mounts.
RB Leipzig have parted ways with manager Marco Rose with immediate effect, the club confirmed on Sunday morning. The decision comes as the German side find themselves languishing in sixth place in the Bundesliga table and reeling from an early exit in the Champions League group stage.
Rose, who took the helm at Leipzig in September 2022, has been under increasing scrutiny following a disappointing run of form this season. Despite guiding the club to back-to-back Champions League qualifications in his first two years, including a third-place finish in the 2022/23 season and fourth last term, the 48-year-old could not replicate that success in the current campaign. Leipzig’s elimination from Europe’s premier competition at the initial stage, coupled with inconsistent domestic results, has ultimately cost him his job.
The final straw appears to have been Saturday’s 1-0 defeat to Borussia Mönchengladbach, a result that left Leipzig five points adrift of the Bundesliga’s top four – a minimum expectation for a club backed by the Red Bull empire. With only one win in their last seven league matches, the pressure had been mounting on Rose, whose attacking philosophy had previously brought silverware in the form of the 2022 DFB-Pokal.
In a brief statement, RB Leipzig announced: “RB Leipzig have relieved head coach Marco Rose of his duties with immediate effect on Sunday. The club wishes to thank Marco and his staff for their efforts and wishes them the best for the future.” The statement also confirmed that assistant coaches Alexander Zickler, Marco Kurth, and Frank Geideck, along with head of licensed players Frank Aehlig, have also departed.
Rose’s tenure was not without its highlights. His first season saw Leipzig lift the DFB-Pokal, beating Freiburg in a penalty shootout, and he consistently kept the club in contention for European football. However, this season’s struggles – including a dismal Champions League campaign where they managed just one victory in eight matches – have overshadowed those achievements.
Speculation is already rife about who might replace Rose at the Red Bull Arena. Names such as VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, and former Benfica boss Roger Schmidt have been linked with the role, though no interim or permanent appointment has yet been confirmed.
For now, Leipzig face an uphill battle to salvage their season. With a DFB-Pokal semi-final still within reach, the club will hope a managerial change can reignite their push for silverware and a return to the Champions League next term. Fans, meanwhile, will be watching closely as one of Germany’s most ambitious clubs enters a new chapter.
More details on Rose’s departure and Leipzig’s next steps are expected to emerge in the coming days as the football world digests this latest managerial shake-up.
