RB Leipzig's season has hit an early stumbling block, and questions are already being asked about manager Martin Demichelis. A 1-3 defeat at Werder Bremen on September 5 followed a bright opening-day 3-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, and the contrast between those two performances has sharpened scrutiny on the Argentine coach. Sport director Marcel Schäfer described the Bremen result as a "real wake-up call," pointing to Leipzig's inability to break down a deep defensive block as a core problem.

That concern runs deeper than one bad result. According to Bild, doubts about Demichelis have existed within the club since pre-season, with some internally questioning whether he has the tactical ideas to make Leipzig play with the ball the way the club demands. Schäfer's public comments after Bremen suggest those doubts have not gone away. Demichelis, who joined this summer as successor to Ole Werner and is contracted until 2028, now faces an early test of his position.

Off the pitch, the summer departure of Yan Diomande to Real Madrid for 125 million euros reshaped the squad, and the loan signing of Christopher Nkunku from AC Milan was meant to fill that gap. Leipzig sit eighth in the Bundesliga after two games. Their next challenge comes in the Champions League, away to Como on September 10, a fixture that arrives at a delicate moment for the club.