Ole Werner does not want to be blinded by six unbeaten games and the climb to second place. The RB Leipzig coach still sees plenty of room for improvement in his team ahead of the away match against FC Augsburg.
On Tuesday, Zsolt Löw paid a visit to RB Leipzig’s training ground at Cottaweg, drawing plenty of attention from reporters and fans alike.
The Hungarian coach, now working within Red Bull’s global football organization as Head of Soccer Development and serving as the right-hand man to football director Jürgen Klopp, remains a well-known and respected figure in Leipzig. Last spring, Löw took temporary charge of the team after the dismissal of Marco Rose, hoping to steady the ship and guide RB to European qualification. Despite his efforts, the team fell short, ending a turbulent season marked by inconsistency, injuries, and a lack of direction both on and off the pitch.
Now, with Ole Werner at the helm, the club is trying to turn a new page and, as the coach himself emphasized, there’s no interest in revisiting old wounds. “I don’t want to deal with last year anymore,” Werner said when asked about Löw’s visit. “At a certain point, it’s important to let the past be the past and give everyone the chance to look forward again. I think we managed that well this summer.”
According to Werner, his conversation with Löw was entirely focused on the present and the future specifically, the team’s development and the upcoming away match against FC Augsburg. “We are in touch every week,” Werner revealed. “This time it was just about our current form, our tactical approach, and how we can keep improving.” Their regular exchange reflects a deep professional respect and a shared understanding of Red Bull’s footballing principles: dynamic pressing, structured buildup, and rapid attacking transitions.
That philosophy has started to re-emerge in Leipzig after a rocky period. Under Werner, RB have begun to regain some of the intensity and identity that made them one of the Bundesliga’s most feared sides in previous years. The team has gone six matches unbeaten, recording five wins and a draw including an impressive performance away at Borussia Dortmund. However, Werner insists that while the results have been good, the performances are not yet at the level he expects.
“At least in terms of points, we are where we need to be,” he said during Thursday’s press conference. “But we still have a lot of work ahead of us. We need to do many things better than we did last week.” His remarks came after a 2-1 home victory over newly promoted Hamburg SV a match that Leipzig won, but one which exposed several flaws in their play.
For much of the second half, RB found themselves pushed deep into their own half, struggling to control possession and allowing Hamburg to create dangerous situations around the box. “We didn’t like the fact that we were forced to defend so much inside and around our penalty area,” Werner admitted. “We have to keep those moments shorter. We must learn to maintain control and dictate the rhythm of the match, especially when we’re ahead.”
This has been a recurring theme for Leipzig this season. Despite their attacking power, the team has sometimes lacked consistency between phases of play. When RB press high and recover the ball early, they can overwhelm opponents with speed and precision. But when forced into deeper defensive positions, their structure occasionally falters a problem Werner and his staff have been working hard to address.
Behind the scenes, Leipzig’s rebuilding project is still in motion. The club underwent significant changes during the summer, with several key departures and new arrivals shaking up the squad. Integrating those new faces has been one of Werner’s biggest challenges. Players like Benjamin Šeško, Dani Olmo, and Xavi Simons have shown flashes of brilliance, but the coach knows that a team defined by transitions and tactical chemistry needs time to reach full efficiency. “We’ve built a group with a lot of talent,” Werner explained earlier this month. “But talent alone isn’t enough. We need discipline, structure, and unity on the pitch.”
Leipzig’s position in the table fourth, with 16 points after nine rounds reflects both progress and potential. They are within striking distance of the Bundesliga’s top spots but remain behind the leaders, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich, who continue to set a relentless pace. The gap is not insurmountable, but Werner has made it clear that consistency will be key.
The upcoming match against Augsburg represents another important test. Historically, Leipzig have found trips to the WWK Arena challenging; Augsburg’s physical style and defensive organization often disrupt RB’s rhythm. Werner expects nothing less this time. “It will be an intense match,” he said. “Augsburg are aggressive, disciplined, and dangerous on the counterattack. We need to bring our best version if we want to control the game.”
Beyond the immediate focus on Augsburg, Werner’s broader vision for RB Leipzig is becoming more evident. He aims to restore the club’s DNA the aggressive, high-energy football that once took Europe by surprise. But he also emphasizes balance and adaptability, two traits he believes are essential for competing at the highest level. “You can’t press for ninety minutes straight,” he noted. “The key is knowing when to attack space, when to slow the tempo, and when to control the opponent with the ball.”
As for the connection with Zsolt Löw and the wider Red Bull structure, Werner sees it as a source of strength rather than interference. Regular communication with figures like Löw provides a valuable exchange of ideas and a shared sense of purpose that spans across Salzburg, Leipzig, New York, and beyond. “It’s part of what makes this network unique,” Werner said. “We can learn from each other and grow together.”
Leipzig’s journey this season is far from over, but there is a growing sense that stability has finally returned after months of uncertainty. The players seem more settled, the system more coherent, and the ambition clearer than ever. Werner’s task now is to maintain that upward trend to turn solid performances into dominance, promising runs into trophies, and a strong squad into a united force capable of challenging the Bundesliga elite.
If his calm confidence and meticulous approach are any indication, RB Leipzig might be entering a new phase one defined not by chaos or transition, but by steady, deliberate progress toward reclaiming their place among Germany’s top clubs.
