Leipzig turned to Martín Demichelis on Monday and gave him a contract through June 2028, a clear long-term move after dismissing Ole Werner last week. The change keeps the club on a new coaching track after a first season that still ended with third place in the Bundesliga and Champions League qualification.
Demichelis Takes Over Leipzig
Demichelis said the job fits the challenge he wanted, and he said he wants to build on Leipzig's foundations. He also laid out the style he wants to impose, saying, "I have enormous respect for the work that has been done here. I want to build on those foundations and take the next steps together with the team. I want to create a side that plays bold, intense and exciting football, takes responsibility on the pitch and inspires the people of Leipzig with its passion."
Marcel Schäfer, Leipzig's sporting director, framed the hire around the coach's profile: "Martín combines a clear footballing philosophy with intensity and outstanding expertise". That pitch matches a club that did not wait long after Werner's exit to settle on a successor.
Werner's Exit After Third Place
The sharpest twist is the timing. Werner was fired even though he had led Leipzig to third place in the Bundesliga and Champions League qualification in his first season. Leipzig then moved from change at the top to a new contract that runs for nearly four years, signaling a longer reset rather than a short-term fix.
Demichelis arrives with a coaching record that stretches across several jobs in a short span. He was in charge of Mallorca, which was relegated from La Liga last season, after earlier spells at River Plate in 2022, Monterrey in 2024 and Mallorca in February this year. His first senior job at River Plate ended with an Argentine league and cup double in his debut season.
His background as a player also fits the club's modern profile. Demichelis played 51 games for Argentina, appeared in the 2014 World Cup final against Germany, won four Bundesliga titles and four German Cup titles with Bayern, spent three seasons at Manchester City and retired aged 36.
Leipzig's Long View
The contract length gives Leipzig security through June 2028, and it gives Demichelis time to set the tone before the next Champions League cycle fully takes shape. The practical question now is not whether the club changed course, but how quickly his version of Leipzig can take hold after a season that finished high enough to qualify for Europe's top competition and still cost Werner his job.
