Sports · Football · 5 hrs ago
Matthäus says results are crucial to Demichelis’s future at Leipzig
Former Germany captain Lothar Matthäus says results may be the only thing that saves Martín Demichelis’s job as RB Leipzig coach.
Leipzig lost 6-1 away to Bayern Munich and was preparing to face Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The team has not won an away match in the Bundesliga or Champions League under Demichelis, Matthäus said.
Demichelis took over after Ole Werner, who had led Leipzig to third place in the league and back into the Champions League, was dismissed.
Matthäus called former Leipzig coach Julian Nagelsmann a serious candidate to return if he and the club wanted it.
But Red Bull manager Roger Schmidt has said Leipzig is far from changing coaches, and recently backed Demichelis.
Lothar Matthäus says results may be the only thing that can save Martín Demichelis’s position as RB Leipzig coach.
His comments come after Leipzig lost 6-1 away to Bayern Munich and ahead of a Champions League match at Real Madrid.
Matthäus says Leipzig’s away form falls short of Red Bull’s expectations and that the club is monitoring the situation.
He also says Demichelis has lost a key supporter in former football executive Jürgen Klopp.
Red Bull manager Roger Schmidt has backed Demichelis and said a move for Julian Nagelsmann is a long way off.
- Who
- Lothar Matthäus commented on RB Leipzig coach Martín Demichelis. Red Bull manager Roger Schmidt has also spoken about the coaching situation.
- What
- Matthäus said results are crucial to Demichelis’s future at Leipzig and described Julian Nagelsmann as a serious candidate.
- When
- Matthäus’s comments were published on 21 October 2026, ahead of Leipzig’s Champions League match that evening.
- Where
- RB Leipzig; the team was due to play Real Madrid in Madrid.
- Why
- Leipzig had lost 6-1 to Bayern and had not won away under Demichelis in the Bundesliga or Champions League.
Lothar Matthäus
Roger Schmidt
Demichelis’s future
Lothar Matthäus
Matthäus said only results could save Demichelis and warned that his position would become very difficult if results did not improve.
Roger Schmidt
Schmidt backed Demichelis after recent wins and said the club aimed for consistency in the coaching position.
Possible replacement
Lothar Matthäus
Matthäus called Julian Nagelsmann a serious candidate if Leipzig wanted him and Nagelsmann felt ready.
Roger Schmidt
Schmidt said Leipzig was a long way from appointing Nagelsmann.
Ole Werner was dismissed after leading Leipzig to third in the league and back into the Champions League, and Demichelis was appointed.
Schmidt met Demichelis for the first time.
Leipzig won matches against Frankfurt and Eindhoven.
Leipzig lost 6-1 away to Bayern Munich.
Leipzig were due to play Real Madrid in the Champions League, while Matthäus said results were crucial to Demichelis’s future.
- Bayern defeat
- Leipzig lost 1-6 away to Bayern Munich
- Leipzig away record
- No away wins under Demichelis in the Bundesliga or Champions League
- Real Madrid match
- Scheduled for the evening of 21 October 2026 in Madrid
- Demichelis’s age
- 45
- Nagelsmann’s Leipzig tenure
- Coached the club from 2019 to 2021
3 sources
What people are saying
Now only results can really save him.
Away from home, they are the points supplier, and those are not the standards Red Bull has.
He is a serious candidate.
We are a long way from that.