Marco Rose speaks on RB Leipzig’s getaway-retreat: “Not many beers, but plenty of fellowship.” | OneFootball

Amid reliable rumors that he won’t be in charge of RB Leipzig this summer, head coach Marco Rose spoke on his plans to revive his Bundesliga side at a Friday press conference. Rose took the team to a two-day retreat at Leipzig’s sister club RB Salzburg this week. The German Red Bulls trained behind closed doors and engaged in some non-football-related rejuvenation activities.

Whether or not the mini-camp will prove enough to revive “lethargic” Leipzig ahead of a trip to “red hot” Freiburg this weekend remains to be seen. Odds speak in favour of Julian Schuster’s hosting Breisgauer. After winning four straight league fixtures, Freiburg presently lie two points above Leipzig in the league table. Rose relies on the getaway to help his team leapfrog their European rivals.

“I sensed that the change of scenery did us good,” Rose noted. “It was a small boost that gave us some energy. We got together in a different environment and do things besides train together. I know that the guys spent a lot of time together. That was both the idea and the plan.“

For Rose, the trip down to Salzburg constituted a homecoming of sorts. The Leipzig native coached the Austrian Red Bulls at youth and senior level between 2013 and 2019 before moving to his native country to take the Borussia Mönchengladbach appointment. Current Leipzig professionals Amadou Haidara, Kevin Kampl, Peter Gulacsi, Nicolas Seiwald and Benjamin Sesko came to Leipzig via RB Salzburg.

“It was nice to feel are welcome and appreciated,” said Rose about the warm welcome at his former employer. “With all the issues in the football business, the most important thing for me is to feel that you have probably done a few things right in life when so many people are happy to see you again.”

Rose firmly deflected questions about both his future at his current employer and his relationship with his former Mainz mentor Jürgen Klopp, currently the top personnel chief in the RB system. When it came time to answer a question about RB left-back David Raum’s offer to by his current teammates a beer during the two days in Salzburg, however, Rose at least gave a direct response.

“I didn’t see many beers,” Rose said. “But I saw a lot of togetherness. It was about a new impulse that would give us new energy. I have a feeling that this good decision worked. We had a solid final training sessions. We’ll take that with us to Freiburg.“

GGFN | Peter Weis