RB Leipzig’s journey to the Champions League semi-finals has been…very short.

RB Leipzig are by no means the most popular team in Germany, but nevertheless they find themselves amongst the candidates left in the Champions League.

The club were founded in just 2009, for reference, I was gearing up for my GCSE exams back then. It is fair to say, they have made a lot more progress than I have since then. Whilst I am sat eating McVities Digestives, Leipzig are being guided to the Champions League semi finals by a coach who himself is only seven years my senior.

Julian Nagelsmann has, like his club, endured a meteoric rise through the ranks in Germany. The former Hoffenheim manager impressed in his first managerial role, propelling his side to a top four finish in successive seasons.

The appointment of Nagelsmann at Leipzig was seen as part of their ever evolving project, run on youth, energy and innovation. At least, that is what they market themselves as; ask fans of other German clubs and you’ll get a very different version of that tale.

But despite the murky history in which they have grown from a can which gives you wings to a club flying in European competition… they really are flying.

Being fortunate enough to be in what is very clearly the easier half of this unprecedented Champions League campaign, they have taken full advantage advancing to these later stages. But despite that, defeating a side like Atletico Madrid is an impressive achievement.

Diego Simeone’s side is the most formidable opponent available in this half of the draw, despite the riches and superstars of PSG, the evidence we have suggests they are lacking a certain mentality when it comes to the later rounds of this competition.

(Although, we will see the French side play in the semis this season, after scoring two late goals to advance over Italian suprise package Atalanta)

But Nagelsmann and Leipzig were up to that challenge. They probed and tested the rigorous defence of Atletico, with their tactical fluidity confusing the Spanish side. Konrad Laimer and the on loan Angelino proving key to the way Leipzig attacked.

Simeone seemed to be intent on bullying his way through the game, with Diego Costa preferred to start up top, his aim to ‘leave some in’ on the likes of Dayot Upamecano. But unfortunately for Simeone and more so for Costa, Upamecano rose to the challenge and dominated the bashful forward.

There have been many clubs linked with a move to the French central defender and he proved why, confident on the ball, dominant in the tackle and a brute in the air.

Joao Felix proved a different character to deal with when he was introduced but aside from the penalty given away by a reckless challenge from Marcel Halstenberg, the defensive unit of the German side put in a performance Simeone himself would be proud of.

The game was won late on via a deflected Tyler Adams shot, the USA International sending shockwaves across Europe and the Atlantic Ocean.

Leipzig progress, Simeone failed and Nagelsmann adds another impressive feat to his rapidly growing CV.

At 11 years old I was playing Pokemon, trading Yu-Gi-Oh cards and having Haribo for breakfast, 15 years later and nothing has changed in my life. But the trajectory of this Leipzig side tell me that in 15 years time, a lot will have changed for them, and for German football.

 

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