Ralf Rangnick makes the hole fillers for Leipzig

Ralf Rangnick has a dual role in Leipzig for one year. (Photo: Thilo Schmülgen / Reuters)

(nda) RB Leipzig's search for a one-year interim solution is over. Unsurprisingly, the sports director Ralf Rangnick also takes charge of the coaches' office, which he then leaves for the 2019/20 season with Julian Nagelsmann, currently under contract at Hoffenheim. The 60-year-old Rangnick was the obvious solution to succeed Ralph Hasenhüttl. Hardly an established coach would have taken control of the limited office of one year. In addition, Rangnick knows very well the whole of Leipzig with Swiss goalkeeper Yvon Mvogo; Rangnick is assisted by American Jesse Marsch, who recently coached Red Bull New York, the Major League Soccer partner team. The duo faces an exhausting summer. Already in less than two weeks, Leipzig rejects the first match of the competition – in the second qualifying round for the Europa League against Liepaja of Lithuania or Häcken of Sweden. At the end of August, six matches of the European Cup are on the program. National starts the season on August 18 with the Cup, followed a week later by the kickoff of the Bundesliga against Borussia Dortmund.

For transfers Leipzig has spent up to now more than 40 million euros under Rangnick 's direction. Among the novelties, the 19-year-old Brazilian Matheus Cunha, who was taken over by FC Sion for about 15 million euros.

RB Leipzig is the fifth Bundesliga coach for Rangnick. Prior to that, he had worked at VfB Stuttgart (1999 to 2001), Hannover (2001 to 2004), Schalke (2004 to 2005, 2011) and Hoffenheim (2006 to 2011). In Leipzig, he was in the second league on the line, as the Saxony club rose two years ago in the Bundesliga.