Sweepers and pressing machines: The season of the RBL midfield

Nothing works without them!

Like no other team in Germany, RB Leipzig stands for transitional football at the highest speed. In order for our attacking artists to be able to make a breakthrough, they need the right protection behind them.

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And there’s more! The four guys in the RBL center, Amadou Haidara, Xaver Schlager, Kevin Kampl and Nicolas Seiwald, are so strong on the ball that they initiate a lot of attacks themselves after winning the ball. But first the basics have to be fulfilled. That means winning one-on-ones, closing off open spaces in your own half and ensuring the right balance on the pitch between defense and attack.

In order to implement coach Marco Rose’s system, two sixes usually play next to each other, directly behind two attacking midfielders. And the mix is ​​also right: While Doudou, Xaver and Kevko are real leaders, Nici has all the qualities to really take off in his second year in Leipzig.
 

Sweeper scores important goals

Unfortunately, the 2023/24 season started a little late for Amadou Haidara. Our number eight tore a muscle in a friendly against UD Las Palmas at the beginning of August and was out for weeks afterwards. It was not until October 4th that Doudou made his season debut on the second matchday of the Champions League group stage against Manchester City.

The 26-year-old, who extended his contract in March until 2026, was, as usual, the epitome of reliability in defensive midfield and covered many kilometres. In addition, Mali’s international player won the majority of his duels and helped to build up our play after winning the ball.

At the beginning of this year, he was absent from the Red Bulls due to the Africa Cup of Nations. The number six brought minor knee problems with him to Leipzig, so he had to take another short break. But on February 13, he returned to the pitch in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid and played the entire match afterwards.

He also scored two very important goals! He scored in the 5-1 away win on the 26th Bundesliga matchday at 1. FC Cologne as well as in the 4-1 win in Freiburg on the 28th matchday. Thanks to these two victories, RBL marched back into the Champions League.
 

Long-running hit with bitter EURO loss

For almost the entire season, Xaver Schlager was one of the absolute key players in coach Marco Rose’s team. This is demonstrated by his total of 40 competitive matches, most of them for the full duration. With 3,299 minutes played, the 26-year-old was one of our long-standing favorites.

Xaver usually played alongside Amadou Haidara in the center and with his dynamic style of play ensured that the gaps between defense and offense were not too large. The Austrian international once again lived up to his reputation as a mentally strong pressing machine.

But after his syndesmosis ligament tear in March 2023, bad luck with injuries struck again this time towards the end of the season. On May 3, he tore his cruciate ligament in an away game against TSG Hoffenheim. This meant that he missed the end of the season and the 2024 European Championships in Germany are unfortunately over for our number 24. 

We look forward to having you back on board for the new season, Xaver!
 

A leader in red and white

Kevin Kampl has been a permanent fixture in midfield since 2017. Kevko lives and breathes our club and will be with us for at least another two years. The veteran signed a new contract until 2026 last October.

“He is a special guy who integrates the team and our many young players with his experience, leads with his class on the pitch and is a central link for everyone with his passion for the club, the city and our fans,” said sports director Rouven Schröder in the course of the contract extension. That really says it all.

The midfield strategist brought all his running strength, game intelligence and routine to the green pitch in 35 competitive matches (1,734 minutes of action). In the absence of Willi Orban and Peter Gulacsi, the veteran led the Red Bulls as captain in nine matches. The 33-year-old was also one of the goalscorers in the 5-1 gala at the Bundesliga home game opener against VfB Stuttgart.
 

After settling in, eager for more

Nicolas Seiwald was a regular player at Red Bull Salzburg when he moved to RB Leipzig last summer. After a strong preparation, the Austrian, who will play for his home country at the 2024 European Championship, was in the starting eleven at the start of the season on the first Bundesliga matchday at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

In the months that followed, however, the 23-year-old needed some time to get used to the Bundesliga and the competition within the squad. This process is now complete. “I have already accepted the pace, the intensity and the duels in the Bundesliga,” he said in a media round at the beginning of May.

In the Champions League, Nici demonstrated just how much potential he has and that our number 13 can perform at the absolute top level. In both group matches against Manchester City, the central midfielder played from the start and brought his strengths to the table.

These are in his performance against the ball, in direct man-to-man duels and in important ball wins. He also provided the necessary stability in the RBL game. He wants to show these qualities more often on the pitch in his second year at Cottaweg.