In most cases, finishing sixth in your second ever season as a Bundesliga club would be treated as a major success. RB Leipzig, though, are not most cases.

The East Germans’ promotion to the top flight of German football in 2016 was one of the most talked-about stories in Europe at the time. Founded in 2009 and heavily backed by Red Bull GmbH, Leipzig are extremely unpopular with football fans across the country due to their perceived circumvention of the 50+1 rule, which states that members must hold a majority of every German club’s voting rights.

Powered by their proprietors’ financial muscle, Leipzig quickly climbed through the divisions. Beginning in the NOFV-Oberliga Süd (the fifth level in the pyramid), Die Bullen reached the 2. Bundesliga within five years, meaning they were one promotion away from the promised land just half a decade into their existence. After finishing fifth in their first campaign in the second division, Leipzig ended 2015/16 as runners-up to secure their place in the top flight; they again finished second the following year and, for a brief period, threatening to challenge Bayern Munich for the title, before dropping down to sixth last term.

If you had to pick out one man who has been the driving force behind Leipzig’s success, Ralf Rangnick is the obvious choice. An unfashionable defensive midfielder who spent most of his playing career in the lower leagues, Rangnick coached four different clubs in the Bundesliga – Stuttgart, Hannover, Schalke and Hoffenheim – prior to his instalment as sporting director for both RB Leipzig and sister side Red Bull Salzburg in 2012.

Placed in charge of recruitment and tasked with giving both clubs an identity on and off the field, Rangnick was instrumental in Leipzig’s ascent to the top tier. He decided upon a policy of only signing young players, who could be developed by the coaching staff and then sold on for a profit; this targeted approach also aided Leipzig’s style of play, which has always been based on transitions, pressing and energy.

As Die Bullen got closer and closer to the Bundesliga, Rangnick decided to give up his role at Salzburg to fully focus on the German outfit. His duties changed further ahead of the 2015/16 season, when he decided to step into the hot seat after the club were frustrated in their attempts to find a new manager. Rangnick successfully guided Leipzig into the Bundesliga, but he still agreed to make way for Ralph Hasenhuttl the following campaign.

Hasenhuttl did a tremendous job in his debut season, as Leipzig finished above Borussia Dortmund and behind only Bayern in the standings. There was a sense that they went backwards last time out, however, and in that context it was not a huge surprise to see him depart at the end of 2017/18, even if it must be acknowledged that he did a fine job overall.

Rangnick has again moved downstairs for the 2018/19 season, which will probably see Leipzig return to their heavy-pressing roots after a slight deviation last term. It will be fascinating to see how the man they call ‘The Professor’ gets on in his second spell in the Leipzig dugout.

By Greg Lea