When Jurgen Klopp decided to leave Liverpool in the summer of 2024, it was expected that he would rest from football for a while and then return to the sport, once more as a manager. However, he surprised many when he took charge as the Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull in 2025.
The German press weren't impressed, and Kevin Grosskreutz – one of his former players at Borussia Dortmund – was so stunned, in fact, that he called the decision 'shocking and sad'. With Klopp now a few months into the job, it appears as though he may well have upset another one of his ex-players too.
Indeed, Marco Rose has been sacked as RB Leipzig manager. The 48-year-old leaves with the club sitting 6th in the Bundesliga and three points off the Champions League places.
Marco Rose Sacked as RB Leipzig Boss
Played 157 times for Jurgen Klopp
While Klopp has not commented on the situation, as head of football operations relating to Red Bull-affiliated clubs, he would have had some role in the decision. In fact, per Bild (via TalkSport), he actually helped initially persuade Leipzig to stick with Rose after the German outfit lost 2-1 against Mainz on 1 March.
With that in mind, it must have been difficult for Klopp to eventually approve the decision to fire Rose. After all, it's a cruel twist of fate that the first manager he should sack since becoming Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull just so happens to be a former player.
Rose, who also spent some time under Ralf Rangnick, played 157 times for Klopp – the most of any coach he had in his career. He helped Mainz 05 get promoted to the Bundesliga during an eight-year spell with the club between 2002 and 2010.
Marco Rose Under Jurgen Klopp
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Games
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The 48-year-old enjoyed some fine moments as RB Leipzig manager, winning the DFB-Pokal in 202/23. He also helped the club make the Champions League on two occasions.
Sadly, though, form this season hasn't been up to the same standard. In Europe, Leipzig won just one of their eight games, losing the rest, as they finished 32nd out of 36 teams in the new Champions League league phase. They have also won just twice in their last 11 Bundesliga fixtures.
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As a result, Klopp's initial plea to keep him around ultimately only delayed the inevitable. Assistants Alexander Zickler, Marco Kurth, Frank Geideck and Frank Aehlig have all been let go as well. Marcel Shafer, Leipzig's Managing Director for Sport, said:
“We have believed in our co-operation with Marco and his team for a very long time and, up to now, tried everything to turn things around together.
"Given the development and the continued lack of results, we’re all firmly convinced that we need new impetus for the remainder of the campaign in order to achieve our aims for the season."
He added: "We’d like to thank Marco and his coaching team for the past two and a half years, the success we enjoyed together and their commitment to the club.”