08 February 2026, North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne: Soccer, Men: Bundesliga, 1. FC Köln - RB Leipzig, Matchday 21, RheinEnergieStadion, Coach Ole Werner (RB Leipzig) gives instructions on the touchline. Photo: Federico Gambarini/dpa - IMPORTANT NOTE: In accordance with the regulations of the DFL German Football League and the DFB German Football Association, it is prohibited to utilize or have utilized photographs taken in the stadium and/or of the match in the form of sequential images and/or video-like photo series.

RB Leipzig axe Werner despite Champions League qualification

Agence France-Presse
picture alliance / Getty

Bundesliga club RB Leipzig have sacked coach Ole Werner after just one season in charge, despite leading them to a third-placed finish and Champions League football next season. 

"We have spent the past few days carrying out a thorough final review of the recent season," the club's sporting director Marcel Schafer said in a statement on Wednesday.

"On Tuesday evening, we decided that a change of head coach was needed."

He added: "We believe the challenges ahead require new ideas and a different approach." 

The identity of Werner's successor has not been disclosed, although German media are pointing to Argentine Martin Demichelis, who took over on the Mallorca bench in March but was unable to prevent the club's relegation to Spain's second division. 

Werner was the third coach in the space of 14 months at RB Leipzig, who missed European competition last season for the first time since their promotion to the Bundesliga in 2016. 

Towards the end of the 2024/25 campaign, the club dismissed Marco Rose with Zsolt Loew serving as interim coach before Werner was appointed.

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