RB Leipzig have sacked head coach Ole Werner on June 17, ending his tenure despite the club finishing third in the Bundesliga and qualifying for next season’s Champions League [1, 2]. Werner, 38, joined Leipzig from Werder Bremen in June 2023 and managed 38 competitive matches during his one-year spell [1, 2].
During Werner's time, he oversaw a squad rebuild following the departure of several key players, laying foundations for the club’s recent success [1, 2]. Despite the progress, Leipzig’s managing director for sport, Marcel Schaefer, said a thorough end-of-season review prompted the coaching change. "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," Schaefer said [1].
Schaefer acknowledged Werner’s role in the club’s successful rebuild and Champions League qualification but stressed new ideas are needed to face upcoming challenges. "They 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," he added [1].
Werner was the seventh permanent head coach RB Leipzig have employed since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016 [1, 2]. The club said it will announce details about Werner’s successor and the new coaching staff in due course [1, 2].