Out of the squad for three games! Jürgen Klopp's dream player at RB Leipzig punished harshly
Jürgen Klopp in particular is said to have pushed for the signing of Johan Bakayoko in his role as Head of Global Soccer at the time. But Bakayoko has disappointed at RB Leipzig so far.
In his debut season after his 18 million euro move from PSV Eindhoven, he scored three goals in competitive matches by October, but injuries and dips in form have held him back since. He has gone almost exactly a year without a goal contribution for the Saxony side and has been entirely absent from their last three Bundesliga matches.
Bakayoko was left out of Leipzig's squad for the two matches before the extended international break and the first match after it. Coach Martin Demichelis has now confirmed it was a disciplinary measure.
"He made a small mistake. But that stays between us. We spoke, and he trained normally on Sunday. I've already forgotten what he did. The matter is settled," the Argentinian said ahead of Tuesday evening's Champions League match against Bakayoko's former club.
Will Johan Bakayoko become a transfer flop at RB Leipzig?
According to the Bild newspaper, Bakayoko has arrived late for mandatory appointments in Leipzig on several occasions. RB still have no doubts about his footballing qualities despite his difficult start, but the winger's lack of focus concerns them.
On Monday, Bakayoko reportedly offered another example. He arrived at Leipzig's training ground in his private car rather than his company car, so staff did not allow him to park in the training centre's courtyard.
The 23-year-old is at a low point in a career that began so promisingly in Eindhoven. Belgium have not called Bakayoko up since November 2024. Even after the World Cup, he appears to have no role for the time being under new coach Mark van Bommel, who did not select him for the Nations League matches.
RB Leipzig: Is Martin Demichelis already on the chopping block?
With Bakayoko absent for disciplinary reasons, RB bounced back from their mixed start to the season after the international break and swept aside Eintracht Frankfurt 6-0. The win gave Demichelis a particular boost after reports that he had come under pressure.
Reports had previously suggested unrest in Leipzig surrounding Demichelis, with Julian Nagelsmann's name increasingly mentioned behind the scenes. Klopp's successor Roger Schmidt recently made clear on ZDF's Aktuelles Sportstudio that this was never the case.
On Tuesday, the Saxony side have a chance to put their disastrous start to the Champions League right. Leipzig suffered a 4-1 thrashing at Como in their opening match of the league phase.
