Klopp smiles broadly as Leipzig defeats Werder Bremen 4-2 in Bundesliga

By: Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press Posted: 10:41 AM CST Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025 Last Modified: 4:01 PM CST Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025

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BERLIN (AP) — Jürgen Klopp watched with a broad smile as Leipzig defeated Werder Bremen 4-2 to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

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BERLIN (AP) — Jürgen Klopp watched with a broad smile as Leipzig defeated Werder Bremen 4-2 to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

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BERLIN (AP) — Jürgen Klopp watched with a broad smile as Leipzig defeated Werder Bremen 4-2 to reclaim fourth place in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

Klopp, the former Liverpool, Borussia Dortmund and Mainz coach, took over his new duties as Red Bull’s head of global soccer on Jan. 1 and he took the first opportunity to see the energy drinks manufacturer’s German representative in competitive action.

Klopp can have had few complaints as he watched the 21-year-old Xavi Simons open the scoring and then cancel Mitchell Weiser’s response, before Benjamin Šeško, also 21, made it 3-1 with a brilliant strike from distance after the break.

Leipzig's Lukas Klostermann, right and Werder's Marvin Ducksch vie for the ball, during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and SV Werder Bremen, in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Both Xavi and Šeško fit the profile of highly talented young players that Klopp will be expected to develop and attract to the growing Red Bull stable of clubs.

Leipzig substitute Christoph Baumgartner scored in the final minute before Bremen’s Oliver Burke scored in stoppage time.

Klopp was in Paris on Saturday to see second-tier Paris FC beat Amiens 1-0. Among his tasks there is turning the club into one of France’s best under the ownership of the country’s richest family, the Arnaults of luxury empire LVMH. The family’s takeover of the second-tier club includes bringing Red Bull on board as a minority stakeholder.

Leipzig has struggled so far this season, losing all its games in the Champions League and dropping points in seven of its 16 games in the Bundesliga.

Undav’s timely comeback

Germany forward Deniz Undav returned from injury to lead Stuttgart to a 1-0 win at Augsburg in the late game.

Leipzig's Managing Director Sport, Jürgen Klopp, center, watches the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and SV Werder Bremen, in Leipzig, Germany, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. (Jan Woitas/dpa via AP)

Undav had been out since Nov. 6 with a hamstring injury and then another muscular injury sustained in training. He went on as a substitute in the 61st minute in Augsburg and scored just four minutes later after being sent through by Angelo Stiller.

The win lifted Stuttgart – last season’s runner-up – to seventh in the 18-team division, one point above Borussia Dortmund.

Noahkai Banks, an 18-year-old American defender, made his Bundesliga debut for Augsburg when he replaced injured defender Maximilian Bauer in the 29th minute.

Herbstmeister Bayern

Bayern Munich leads defending champion Bayer Leverkusen by four points after 16 rounds, meaning it can’t be caught at the halfway stage, giving the Bavarian powerhouse the unofficial title of “Herbstmeister” or autumn champion.