RB Leipzig Part Ways With Ole Werner After One Season

RB Leipzig have parted ways with head coach Ole Werner after just one season in charge, ending a brief spell that saw the club return to the UEFA Champions League but ultimately fail to convince the leadership that continuity was the right path forward.

Ole Werner arrived from Werder Bremen in the summer of 2025, stepping into a rebuilding phase following the departure of several key players. His task was to stabilise a squad in transition while maintaining Leipzig’s competitive position in the Bundesliga. Over the course of the season, he guided the team through that process and delivered a third-place finish, securing qualification for the Champions League.

Across all competitions, Werner oversaw 38 matches and averaged 1.95 points per game. His work also included a run to the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals, rounding off a season that was statistically successful and structurally stabilising for the club.

Despite this, RB Leipzig have decided to change direction ahead of the 2026/27 season. The decision also affects assistant coaches Tom Cichon and Patrick Kohlmann, who have been relieved of their duties alongside Ole Werner as part of a wider coaching reset.

The club’s sporting director Marcel Schäfer confirmed the decision followed a detailed internal review of the season.

“We have spent the past few days carrying out a thorough final review of the recent season. On Tuesday evening, we decided that a change of head coach was needed. The coaching team played a major role in our successful rebuild and in qualifying for the Champions League. Nevertheless, we believe the challenges ahead require new ideas and a different approach. We wish Ole, Tom and Patrick every success and all the best for the future.”

Werner had been appointed in July 2025 as part of Leipzig’s broader rebuild following squad turnover. His role was to guide the team through transition while maintaining competitive standards in both domestic and cup competitions. That objective was achieved in sporting terms, with the Red Bulls finishing in the top three and returning to Europe’s elite competition.

However, the club’s final assessment concluded that a new approach was required for the next stage of the project. RB Leipzig have not yet announced a successor, and updates on the new head coach and coaching structure are expected in due course. The club has also indicated that further decisions regarding staff composition, including assistant coach Jan Zimmermann, will be communicated separately.

Ole Werner’s tenure therefore ends after one season, 38 competitive matches, and a Champions League qualification campaign. His departure marks another managerial reset for Leipzig as they prepare for the 2026/27 season. Former Bayern Munich defender Martín Demichelis is reportedly set to become the new head coach.

Pre-season begins on 13 July, with RB Leipzig’s first competitive fixture set to be a DFB-Pokal tie against Eintracht Trier between 21 and 24 August. The club will then begin their 11th consecutive Bundesliga campaign shortly after the fixture schedule is released on 2 July.