In a dramatic turn of events, Bundesliga club RB Leipzig has parted ways with head coach Marco Rose following a disappointing 0:1 defeat against Borussia Mönchengladbach on March 29, 2025. This decision comes just one day later, as the club seeks to reverse its fortunes in a season that has seen them slip to sixth place in the league standings.
Marco Rose, who took the reins at Leipzig in September 2022, was relieved of his duties with immediate effect, as announced by the club on March 30, 2025. Alongside Rose, his entire coaching staff, including co-trainers Alexander Zickler, Marco Kurth, and Frank Geideck, as well as Frank Aehlig, the Head of Licensed Players, have also been dismissed.
The decision to part ways with Rose comes after a series of disappointing results, with Leipzig managing only two wins in their last eleven league matches. The victories were narrow, against FC St. Pauli and Borussia Dortmund, both ending 2:0. However, the team also faced defeats against Gladbach and Mainz, which contributed to their current precarious position in the league.
Sporting director Marcel Schäfer expressed the club's frustrations, stating, "We have believed in the constellation with Marco and his team for a long time and have tried everything to turn the tide together. However, given the development and the lack of results, we are firmly convinced that we need a new impulse for the remaining games to achieve our season goals."
Despite the turmoil, Leipzig remains in contention for silverware, having advanced to the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal after a narrow victory over Wolfsburg. They are set to face VfB Stuttgart on April 2, 2025, at 20:45. The club's management is hopeful that a change in leadership will provide the spark needed to propel them forward.
In light of the recent upheaval, Zsolt Löw has been appointed as the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Löw, who has served as a co-trainer at various clubs including Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea, previously worked with RB Leipzig from 2015 to 2018 under coaches Ralf Rangnick and Ralph Hasenhüttl.
Rose's tenure at Leipzig was marked by some successes, including a strong performance in the DFB-Pokal, but ultimately fell short in the league. His overall record at the club was impressive, boasting a points average of 1.86 over 125 matches, making him one of the most successful coaches in Leipzig's history. Only Domenico Tedesco, Julian Nagelsmann, and Ralf Rangnick have posted better points per game ratios during their tenures.
However, the pressures of maintaining a competitive edge in the Bundesliga and the Champions League have weighed heavily on the club. Leipzig's aspirations of qualifying for the Champions League have been jeopardized by their recent form, leading to the decision to change coaches.
Reflecting on his time at the club, Rose stated after the match against Gladbach, "We take the final sprint as it is. We are not looking left or right. We have the chance to do better things." Little did he know that the next day would mark the end of his tenure.
The search for a permanent replacement for Rose is already underway, with names like Roger Schmidt being floated as potential candidates. Schmidt, who has a history with RB and is currently available, could be a logical choice for the club. However, he is not expected to be available until the summer, leaving Leipzig in a bind as they look for immediate leadership.
As the club navigates this transition, the focus will be on the upcoming DFB-Pokal match against Stuttgart. With a new coach at the helm, the players will need to rally together to ensure their season does not end in disappointment.
Leipzig's management is aware that finding a long-term solution is crucial. The club has faced criticism for its lack of a clear strategic direction in recent months, and the decision to part ways with Rose highlights the urgency to establish a coherent plan moving forward.
As the dust settles on this coaching change, fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see how RB Leipzig responds in the coming weeks. The club's ambitions remain high, but the path to achieving those goals has become more challenging with the recent upheaval.
