RB Leipzig - injuries & suspensions October 2026

RB Leipzig: 2026/27 season preview

RB Leipzig begin the 2026/2027 season after finishing third in the previous campaign. That result secured the club’s return to the Champions League after a year away, but Leipzig changed coaches again over the summer. Ole Werner left after just one season, and Martín Demichelis was appointed as his successor. The Argentine returns to the Bundesliga, which he knows from his playing days at Bayern Munich.

Demichelis tasked with restoring Leipzig’s identity

Demichelis wants to build his game around high intensity, aggressive pressing and quick transitions into attack. During pre-season, he most often used a 4-3-3 formation. Alongside developing young players, however, he also has to work on his own style, as the squad has once again undergone considerable changes.

Nkunku returns to Leipzig

The biggest-name signing is the return of Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman joined on loan from AC Milan and has pulled on an RB Leipzig shirt again after three years away. During his previous spell, he made 172 appearances, scored 70 goals and provided 56 assists. In the 2022/2023 season, he finished as the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 16 goals. Now 28, he is expected to bring experience and give the team more options in attack. He can play in several positions, giving Demichelis additional options when picking his side.

Leipzig have also signed Marc Guiu. The 20-year-old striker joined from Chelsea and signed a contract until 2031. Rocco Reitz from Borussia Mönchengladbach, Maxime Estève from Burnley and Neil El Aynaoui from AS Roma have also joined the squad, with El Aynaoui arriving on loan with an option to buy. Brajan Gruda, Antonio Nusa, Assan Ouédraogo and Castello Lukeba remain at the club.

Major losses after a successful season

Leipzig lost several players over the summer. The biggest departure was Yan Diomande, who moved to Real Madrid after an excellent season. The Ivorian scored 12 goals and provided nine assists in the Bundesliga. Péter Gulácsi, Xaver Schlager, Loïs Openda, Suleman Sani and Eljif Elmas also left. Conrad Harder, meanwhile, joined Racing Strasbourg on loan.

Diomande’s absence could be particularly keenly felt in attack. Along with Christoph Baumgartner and Assan Ouédraogo, who were injured at the start of the season, he accounted for a large share of the team’s goals in the previous campaign. Nkunku’s return is therefore one way of filling the gap left behind.

Raum remains the team’s leader

David Raum remains RB Leipzig’s captain. The Germany international is beginning his fifth season at the club and is still expected to be an important presence in attack. In the previous campaign, he scored three goals and provided nine assists in all competitions. Demichelis’ system should give him plenty of chances to get forward. Willi Orbán and Castello Lukeba remain in defence. Maarten Vandevoordt and new goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland are the main contenders for the starting spot. Despite numerous changes, Leipzig have retained several of the key components of last season’s team.

New coach, old ambitions

RB Leipzig begin the campaign with a mix of young players, more experienced leaders and a new coach. The return to the Champions League means extra fixtures, so a deep squad will be more important than last season. Demichelis must first and foremost quickly reshape the attack following Diomande’s departure. At the same time, he has players with different profiles at his disposal, such as Nkunku, Nusa and Guiu.