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RB Leipzig head coach Ole Werner has praised his squad’s resilience, unity, and tactical growth after guiding the club back to the UEFA Champions League following an impressive 2025/26 Bundesliga campaign.
Speaking in the Bundesliga’s midweek interviews, Werner reflected on a season that saw Leipzig secure 20 league victories and establish themselves among Germany’s elite despite undergoing major structural and squad changes during the summer.
Leipzig confirmed Champions League qualification after defeating FC St. Pauli 2-1, with Werner admitting the achievement represented a major milestone for both the coaching staff and players.
That confirms we’ve had a very good season and achieved our mission of qualifying for the Champions League,” Werner said.
The German tactician could also set a new club coaching record for most Bundesliga wins in a single season if Leipzig defeat SC Freiburg on the final day.
Werner’s success is particularly notable considering Leipzig opened the season with a humiliating 6-0 defeat away to Bayern Munich. However, the coach believes that painful result ultimately helped shape the team’s mentality and identity.
We knew at the time that it was probably a game we had to get through,” Werner explained, pointing to squad instability and ongoing transfer uncertainty during the opening weeks of the campaign.
Despite criticism early in his managerial career, Werner said his focus has always remained on helping teams achieve collective objectives rather than silencing doubters.
My coaching staff and I have improved on the previous year every year. Our goal is to help the team and the club achieve their objectives,” he noted.
The former Werder Bremen and Holstein Kiel coach described Leipzig’s season as “very positive,” especially given the scale of changes made after what he called a difficult previous campaign.
According to Werner, Leipzig’s biggest strength this season was the creation of a cohesive and committed squad capable of adapting to a new football philosophy.
We’ve put together a very homogenous group. The openness the players approached this process with has been excellent,” he said.
One of the standout stories of Leipzig’s season has been the emergence of highly-rated youngster Yan Diomande. Werner admitted even he had been surprised by the speed and consistency of the player’s development.
The consistency he’s shown has been extraordinary for his age and considering it’s his first full season in professional football,” Werner said.
The Leipzig coach also made it clear the club hopes to retain the talented youngster despite growing transfer interest from across Europe.
Beyond player development, Werner highlighted the influence of former Liverpool FC manager Jürgen Klopp, revealing the two have maintained regular communication throughout the season.
We’ve talked a lot about style of play and tactical things. It’s good for me to learn from someone who’s seen everything in this line of work,” Werner explained.
Werner also praised captain David Raum and experienced defender Willi Orbán for helping stabilize the dressing room during a period of transition, while singling out Christoph Baumgartner for his leadership and consistency throughout the campaign.
The coach believes Leipzig’s challenge next season will be maintaining domestic consistency while competing in three major competitions, including the UEFA Champions League.
It’s a huge challenge testing yourself against the best teams in Europe while remaining competitive in the Bundesliga,” Werner said.
Although Werner acknowledged Bayern Munich were “a step ahead of the division” this season, he insisted Leipzig’s focus remains on internal growth rather than external comparisons.
For Leipzig supporters, however, the signs are increasingly encouraging. After navigating a season of transition, uncertainty, and heavy early criticism, the club now heads into next season with renewed confidence, a young evolving squad, and Champions League football secured once again.
