Arunava about Football A look at football & the world through my eyes!
Related Articles
Family Business in New York: RB Leipzig, two-time German Cup winner, will leave Europe for pre-season for the first time in its history, with a trip to the USA planned from July 28 to August 4.
During the US tour, Marco Rose and his team will set up base camp at the New York Red Bulls Academy in Whippany, NJ, and are sure to see some familiar faces during their stay such as Emil Forsberg (2015-2024 at RB Leipzig), RBNY head coach Sandro Schwarz and Jochen Schneider, Head of Sports at the MLS club and previously part of the management at Leipzig from 2015 to 2019.
On top of that, RB Leipzig will also play its first friendly of the 2024/25 season in the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ. The team will face English Premier League side Aston Villa on July 31 with kick-off at 8pm local time.
The seven-time English champion, who has former Bayer 04 Leverkusen players Leon Bailey and Moussa Diaby in its ranks, currently sits fourth in the Premier League and, like RB Leipzig, is on course for UEFA Champions League qualification. RB Leipzig is planning a second friendly at the end of the tour on the East Coast.
Alongside the friendly games and daily, high-intensity practice sessions, there will also be lots of events happening away from the turf in the New York metropolitan Area. They include the unveiling of the new RB Leipzig jersey for the 2024/25 season, CSR activities, public training, autograph sessions and some exciting collaborations with Red Bull athletes in North America.
RB Leipzig general manager Johann Plenge said, “This will be our first pre-season outside of Europe, and with the USA we decided to go to a key target market for our club. RB Leipzig excites soccer fans both domestically and internationally with its unique story, which has taken us from the fifth division to the UEFA Champions League.”
“We’ve brought the world of soccer back to Leipzig with our exciting European runs in recent years and as a host city for EURO 2024. Now we’re bringing Leipzig to the world! We want to take advantage of our good and special connection to New York and strengthen it for years to come. It’s an important step for us, but also for the Bundesliga, which rightly enjoys a great reputation in the US.”
RB Leipzig sporting director Rouven Schröder said, “Our coaching staff and players can look forward to an incredibly professional training camp with two friendlies against ambitious opponents. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup on the horizon, the USA is one of the most exciting sports markets in the world, and its love for soccer continues to grow.”
“This trip to the US will create some great memories for our team and we’re looking forward to meeting our colleagues at New York Red Bulls and the MLS.”
RB Leipzig legend and New York Red Bulls player Emil Forsberg said, “All of us at RBNY – and myself in particular – are really excited that RB Leipzig is coming to New York for its first US tour. It will be a special reunion with players, coaches and staff for me that I wasn’t expecting so soon.”
“Not only are the conditions at our training complex great, but New York is also the perfect city for RB Leipzig and the Bundesliga to become better known in the USA. I’m sure that we’ll have a great time together.”
