Stefan Ilsanker praises Martín Demichelis under pressure at RB Leipzig

At RB Leipzig, Martin Demichelis is under pressure, but the Argentinian coach is now receiving positive words from a former player of the Red Bulls. In an interview with the Leipziger Volkszeitung, Stefan Ilsanker, who played 131 matches for the club, expressed his support.

Ilsanker's assessment of the coach

The 37‑year‑old Ilsanker confirmed that Demichelis deserves patience: “Yes, he must.” He emphasized that it took “weeks, many of them” for the team to internalise the basic principles, and described the start as “bird‑wild”.

Demichelis has so far managed six matches and has a record of three wins and three defeats, which gave critics some momentum. In the DFB‑Cup Leipzig beat the regional league side Eintracht Trier 6‑0, followed by 3‑0 against Borussia Mönchengladbach and 5‑0 against HSV. In the Bundesliga the Red Bulls occupy the 18th and 16th places in the table.

The schedule remains demanding: In the league, matches with Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Bayern follow, while in the Champions League opponents PSV Eindhoven and Real Madrid await them. The photo is by Simon Hofmann.