Martin Demichelis’s “shadow man”? Julian Nagelsmann is apparently waiting in the wings at RB Leipzig
Martin Demichelis is under pressure at RB Leipzig after a rather mixed season so far. Will Julian Nagelsmann return and succeed him?
A report by Sport Bild says the former Germany coach is not entirely opposed to a second spell at his former club.
Nagelsmann reportedly did not immediately rule out a return during an informal exchange, the sort of conversation even Bundesliga clubs not urgently looking for a coach routinely have. That response could be seen as a sign of his willingness to return.
If RB's decision-makers decide not to continue with Demichelis, Sport Bild reports that Nagelsmann is ready to step in. The former Bayern Munich and TSG Hoffenheim coach is said to be something of a "shadow man" to the Argentinian in this regard. Nothing is concrete yet, however.
How has RB Leipzig's season gone so far?
Leipzig's alleged deliberations stem from a distinctly mixed start to the season. They sit a respectable fourth in the Bundesliga after eight matchdays, just three points behind leaders Bayern Munich, but Real Madrid and Calcio Como have each beaten them 1-4 in the Champions League. Bayern also thrashed them 1-6 in the top-of-the-table clash.
For Red Bull, those results are reportedly a particular concern. Against top teams, Demichelis, whose appointment was reportedly controversial from the start of the season, still appears unable to devise a suitable tactical plan. The heavy defeats show how far the club remain from their stated goal of being among the "top 10 in Europe". Reports also point to a language barrier, with Demichelis said to speak neither enough German nor enough English to convey his instructions directly to the entire team. All this is reportedly eroding the Argentinian's standing.
Nagelsmann, by contrast, remains highly regarded at Red Bull. The 39-year-old coached Leipzig between 2019 and 2021, leading the club to a second-place finish in the league and the Champions League semi-finals, among other achievements. Red Bull boss Oliver Mintzlaff later described the decision to let Nagelsmann move to Bayern as "one of the biggest mistakes" of his career.
Will Julian Nagelsmann succeed Martin Demichelis at RB Leipzig?
Despite Demichelis' recent winning streak, a change of coach in Leipzig may not be imminent. RB have won all of their last three matches. Roger Schmidt, Jürgen Klopp's successor as 'Head of Global Soccer' in the RB organisation, recently said that a return for the former Germany coach was out of the question as far as he was concerned.
"That's quite normal in the game nowadays. You always have to deal with issues like that when you lose a game or two," Schmidt said on ZDF's Aktuelles Sportstudio, stressing: "We're a long way from that."
Instead, the club needed "a certain continuity in the coaching position. At the moment, we're happy with how things went today. Our coaches get maximum support from us in the global team as well. We're totally focused on that," said Schmidt, who added of Demichelis: "I have experience with Argentinian players, particularly at Benfica, and I like their mentality. Most Argentinian players have leadership roles at their clubs: they bring the certain something you need to win games. I got that impression from him too."
Jürgen Klopp reportedly drove Martin Demichelis' appointment
According to Sport Bild, replacing Demichelis would also mean the club bosses admitting they had acted too hastily in the summer. Schmidt's predecessor Klopp reportedly played the leading role in Demichelis' appointment and, according to rumours, also pushed through Ole Werner's dismissal.
Should Demichelis continue his winning streak, a dismissal would be almost impossible. RB face Manchester City in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Mintzlaff and the other RB decision-makers face growing pressure if they want to pursue Nagelsmann. The former Germany coach, dismissed after the 2026 World Cup, is also reportedly on the list of struggling Premier League club Manchester United.
