"In times like this, football takes a backseat"

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RB Leipzig

·28 October 2025

"In times like this, football takes a backseat"

RB Leipzig are through to the round of 16 in the DFB-Pokal after a 4-1 win away at Energie Cottbus. Here are all the key quotes from head coach Ole Werner and his players after the match.

Ole Werner:

The tragic death of an RBL fan:"First and foremost, we extend our heartfelt condolences. It came as a real shock for all of us. Our thoughts are with their family."
The team's performance:"The boys did a great job. Cottbus started well, but we managed to quickly score some goals and establish a clear lead. The team have really grown together, both on and off the pitch. There's no egos on the pitch, and we hope this continues to be the case. The lads that came in off the bench also did a good job. There are still areas that we can improve in, but we're on the right path."
Christoph Baumgartner:"He's an extremely talented player. He's worked hard to get to the level of confidence he's at now and plays an important role within our team, which allows him to showcase his qualities. I'm very happy that he's able to consistently help the team."

David Raum:

The tragic death of an RBL fan:"I heard the news at half time and shared it with the team. The fans then toned down their support in a show of respect. Respect to the Cottbus fans as well for how they reacted. At a time like that, football takes a backseat. My sincere condolences to the family of the fan who passed away."
The team's performance:"We put in a very mature performance. It's not easy to do in Cottbus, because they're not the biggest fans of us here. I'm proud of the team, as we've got a very young squad. It was important that we were able to rotate a bit with the mid-week game and that some of the younger guys were able to get some minutes."

Christoph Baumgartner:

The tragic death of an RBL fan:"It really puts things into perspective for you and shows you what's really important in life. All we can do is extend our sincere condolences to the family of the fan who passed away. Respect to the fans of both teams for the way they reacted."
His performance:"I'm pleased to be on a good run of form, as it took some time to get here. I just tried to keep believing in myself. Now, I'm reaping the rewards. But, I need to continue working hard and our focus is now on the next game."
Scoring goals from set pieces:"Jan Zimmermann, our set-piece coach, showed us that this could be a way to beat Cottbus. David and I spoke about it beforehand and it worked out brilliantly."

Marcel Schäfer:

The tragic death of an RBL fan:"Unfortunately, one of our fans collapsed on their way in to the stadium and later passed away in hospital. At times like this, football takes a backseat. We extend our deepest condolences to the family of the fan who passed away. I would like to mention that both clubs coordinated well following the news, which was quickly shared in the stadium and both sets of fans toned down their support as a show of respect. The home fans showed great solidarity and understanding tonight."

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