Red Bull News Network

RB Leipzig is close to signing FC Barcelona youngster Ilaix Moriba. The news according to ESPN has the Guinean central midfielder joining for a near 20 million Euros fee. This follows the news of Marcel Sabitzer leaving the team for Bayern Munich. Moriba was a wanted player according to sources. Barcelona wished to keep him but he refused to sign an extension. From there the player was linked to teams across Europe but decided on the East German club where young talent has flourished in recent years. Now, Moriba joins a young squad alongside the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai, Amadou Haidara and Christopher Nkunku. It is one of the younger and more dynamic groups in the league under American manager Jesse Marsch. For Leipzig, it is a sign that they will not be sitting back while teams like Bayern pick apart their roster. Instead, they have reinvested by bringing in players like Moriba to rejuvenate the squad and potentially challenge for the Bundesliga title this season.

Othello Bah's early goal and Lamar Walker scored twice after coming on as a second-half substitute helped Miami FC extend the New York Red Bulls' losing streak misery, receiving their six straight loss, 3-0. The home side got on the board in the 16th minute when Billy Forbes took the ball and started off a break from midfield, danced around defender Emir Tombul and cooly slotted home the goal to put the Miami FC in the lead. With Miami FC firmly on the attack, they nearly doubled the lead two minutes later as Othello Bah charged past the New York defense with a through ball, but Billy Forbes was caught offside, negating the attack much to the New York Red Bulls II's relief, as least temporarily. New York Red Bulls II had their share of problems both at home and on the road magnified as midfielder Austin Brummett's evening was ended early as due to an injury from a rough tackle, he was replaced by Serge Ngoma in the 27th minute.  New York nearly had an opportunity to equ

RB Leipzig striker Hwang Hee-chan is linked with a move to Premier League side Wolverhamption Wanderers according to Sky Sports . The deal will be a loan for the 2021-22 season with an option to purchase the player after the season for 13 million pounds. The move comes as Leipzig continues to restructure their team under new manager Jesse Marsch. Hwang has found it difficult in the Bundesliga after joining the club last season from Red Bull Salzburg. The South Korean player featured in 20 Bundesliga games but couldn't score a goal. His only notches came in the DFB Pokal where she scored three times.  Previously, Hwang was a major part of the Austrian Bundesliga champions Red Bull Salzburg. In four seasons he scored 45 goals, playing as both a striker and a winger at different times. Unfortunately, the move to the Bundesliga did not do him well as he quickly found himself on the bench under former manager Julian Nagelsmann. The move comes as Leipzig re-tooled with Andre Silva in the

RB Leipzig midfielder Marcel Sabitzer will be moving to Bayern Munich for 16 million Euros according to Bild . The move comes after much speculation and a report that Munich had agreed to personal terms with the player last week. Munich is getting another major player from RB Leipzig's team, continuing their history of pillaging their closest rivals to the Bundesliga title. This past off-season they took Leipzig's top defender Dayot Upamecano and manager Julian Nagelsmann. Now, the team will take last season's captain, leaving current manager Jesse Marsch with a new group to train. Sabitzer joined Leipzig in 2014 and has played 177 games for the club. Over that time he saw the team rise to the Bundesliga and even became captain of the club. Sabitzer also worked his way into the Austrian national team where he featured for them in the European Championship this past summer. Leipzig have already shown their depth at attacking midfield by utilizing Amadou Haidara and Emil Fors

HARRISON, NJ - The Chicago Fire hadn't won a single match on the road this season, and thanks to Robert Beric's goal, and a hefty defensive performance, the Fire finally won one on the road, beating the Red Bulls, 1-0 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. The only goal of the match was awarded following a video review after Robert Beric was initially ruled offside. However, the ball hit a Red Bull player in the process, which kept Beric in an onside position. After a brief check by referee Victor Rivas, the goal stood, giving the visitors the lead. The Red Bulls sensing some urgency as the match rolled on, could not capitalize on their opportunities, including one in the 65th minute as Fabio charged down the pitch and dished the ball over to Daniel Royer, just coming in as part of a double substitution, but the ball, begging to be tapped in, rolled harmlessly between his legs, letting a huge chance to even the match fall by the wayside. The Fire nearly got an insurance goal, but

RB Leipzig striker Alexander Soerloth joins La Liga club Real Sociedad on loan for the 2021-22 season. The Norwegian international joined the East German club last season but was unable to break through to the first time under Julian Nagelsmann. Now that Jesse Marsch is in charge, it appears that the striker's services are currently no longer needed. Soerloth joined Leipzig after a loan stint in Turkey with Trabzonspor. He was unable to break through in the English Premier League with Crystal Palace and was hoping that the move to the Bundesliga would be the spark that his career needed. Last season he played in 37 games for the club but only scored seven times and notched three assists. Combined with Hwang Hee-chan, the team was never able to produce the amount of goals that they lost with the transfer of Timo Werner. This off-season saw a major change with the acquisition of Andre Silva from Frankfurt. The Portuguese striker instantly replaced Soerloth in the line-up, clearing th

photo by Matt Kremkau New York Red Bulls have announced that defender Sean Nealis has signed a new three-year MLS contract that will take him through the 2024 season. The SuperDraft product who came through the New York Red Bulls II in the USL before moving to MLS, has quickly made himself an essential member of the club's defense moving forward. "I am happy to see Sean stay in New York," said head coach Gerhard Struber. "He has been a very stable defender for us since Aaron Long went down and his consistent play has only strengthened my trust in him." Nealis debuted with the Red Bulls in 2019, bouncing between the MLS and USL club. The combination of Long and Tim Parker made it difficult to get more minutes but the club moved on from Parker in 2021, opening the door for a partnership with Long. Unfortunately, an achilles injury forced his partner out for the season, opening the door for even more minutes for the Long Island native. "He has been a strong op

Former RB Leipzig captain Marcel Sabitzer appears one step closer to leaving the club following a report that he has already agreed to personal terms with rivals Bayern Munich. The report from Goal as the Bavarian champions have not decided whether or not they will place a transfer bid for the player. Sabitzer is out of contract at the end of the season. Leipzig have set a 15 million Euro fee for the player, hoping that they can make a profit from bringing the Austrian attacking midfielder through their ranks from Salzburg to Germany. Over that time, Sabitzer has made a name for himself by playing in 177 games for the club since 2014 and scoring 40 goals. The last two seasons, Sabitzer has been a main reason why the club has qualified for the UEFA Champions League and reached the knockout stages in each of those years. Bayern Munich isn't light on midfielders at the moment. They currently have Corentin Tolisso and Michael Cuisance in the depth chart where Sabitzer would fit. This

Emil Forsberg has been a constant for RB Leipzig since 2015 but now he has stepped forward as one of the team's leaders. On Friday afternoon he was a part of the fantastic second half which saw the East German club dispatch Stuttgart 4-0. "We were really up for it and the fans' support made us even better," said Forsberg after the game. "We did a lot right tonight and deservedly won 4-0. It was as strong performance from the whole team. We had a great week behind us, trained strongly and it's just very enjoyable." Forsberg, scored an impressive second goal just seconds into the second half. The passing between he, Christopher Nkunku and Andre Silva led to a finish from the Swedish attacking midfielder that finished off Stuttgart. It was his 48th goal for RB Leipzig and the first with him as team captain. Something that manager Jesse Marsch was very pleased to see. "Emil is a super role model," said Marsch. "It was good that he was our capt

photo by Matt Kremkau Feeling good after winning their first match since July, head coach Gerhard Struber and his team look to continue the momentum as they now face local rivals New York City FC at Red Bull Arena on Saturday evening. During this week's conference call with the media, the coach discussed the matchup against NYCFC and the team's approach to a highly anticipated New York Derby match... "Yeah, I think with New York City FC we have an opponent for our chest. They can handle the game with a big experience in more ways, they can play on the ground with a high combination tempo, they can play also with layoffs with long balls very efficiently. I think from the statistics, many standpoints, the game style from New York City FC and also the output is for me one of the best teams in the league and for us, it is one more time very important that we find against a team like New York City FC in a derby that we have the right hunger, the right fitness, the right shape,

RB Leipzig erased the memory of their week one loss to Mainz with a 4-0 win over VfB Stuttgart off the back of two goals by young Hungarian attacker Dominik Szoboszlai. It was the youngster's first start at Red Bull Arena and he didn't disappoint with a sizzling shot from just outside the box and an equally impressive free kick to sink the opposition. Szloboszlai saved what was a mundane first half with his spectacular shot in the 39th minute. Leipzig was creating opportunities before the goal but were not dynamic enough to take advantage. Movement from Andre Silva was encouraging but Stuttgart appeared more than able to handle the onslaught. The opposition also looked dangerous on the counter attack, finding a few chances of their own. It was right at the kickoff of the second half where the game turned in Leipzig's favor permanently. An impressive passing display saw Christopher Nkunku find Silva who dropped the ball off for Emil Forsberg to score the game's second go

RB Leipzig may be losing another player to their nearest rival as last year's captain Marcel Sabitzer has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich. The report from SportsBild states that the Austrian midfielder prefers to stay in the Bundesliga as opposed to leaving for destinations in England. Sabitzer has been with RB Leipzig since 2014, starting with a loan to Red Bull Salzburg before becoming a full part of the East German club's rotation. Over that time he has made over 200 appearances for the club, scoring 52 goals. By last season he had become such an integral part of the team that former manager Julian Nagelsmann named him captain for the club.  Leipzig have placed an 18 million Euro price tag on Sabitzer which may be too high for Bayern Munich given the current financial situation of the reigning champions. It is, however, a price that both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal have shown interest in matching. Now it is whether or not Sabitzer is willing to leave the Bundesli

photo by Matt Kremkau HARRISON, NJ - John Tolkin's first ever goal in his Major League Soccer career along with Carlos Coronel's four key saves gave the New York Red Bulls a much-needed win, snapping their seven-match, winless streak, by beating the Columbus Crew SC, 1-0. Both teams were looking to get their season back on track, with the Crew losers of their last four, matches coming into tonight's match. The Crew had had a plan in place to slow down the Red Bulls' vaunted press and to put the match on their terms.  And for much of the first half, the plan was working well, with excellent scoring chances early on. However, New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel wasn't having none of it, stifling the Crew's attack with brilliant saves to keep the visitors off the scoreboard. In the 33rd minute, John Tolkin started the attack by bumping Johnathan Mensa off the ball and moving it ahead over to Gutman, who dished it off to Fabio, who saw Tolkin charging in the box and

It has been a rough week for RB Leipzig and new manager Jesse Marsch after the team suffered an opening day loss to FSV Mainz on Sunday. The team has since been back on the field in training and hopes to put the disappointment of the first week behind them. "We lacked clarity against an opposition who defended strongly and deeply," said Marsch about his team's play. "The problem wasn't with our pressing against Mainz, because we had almost all of the possession. Mainz defended really deeply after the first goal and we weren't clever enough." None of this should read as unfamiliar with response. For years New York Red Bulls found it very difficult to break down teams that sat back and defended. It was the way in which teams knew they could get results, particularly in knockout game scenarios. Now, years later, RB Leipzig find themselves in a similar situation despite the increase in talent from MLS to the Bundesliga. Leipzig will more than likely not be t

Jesse Marsch's debut in the Bundesliga was ruined by a gutsy performance from 1. FSV Mainz as they take all three points in a slim 1-0 win. A 13th minute goal from a mistake by Nordi Mukiele was the difference with the Mainz keeper stopping several big opportunities to equalize the game. Mainz started the game quickly, pushing around RB Leipzig in a manner that is similar to the strategy that we normally saw by the visitors in previous seasons. Mainz outworked their opponents and forced turnovers in the midfield. The goal came in the 13th minute when a poor corner was not cleared properly and the ball fell to the feet of captain Moussa Niakhate. The French defender touched the ball into the back of the net, shocking Marsch and his East German club. Leipzig changed things up in the second half, pushing the game and commanding more of the ball. Chances from Andre Silva and Mohamed Simakan were stopped by Robin Zentner. Other chances from Willi Orban and Marcel Sabitzer missed the net

photo by Matt Kremkau The tailspin continues as a 90th minute penalty conversion by Montreal sinks the New York Red Bulls and hands them their fourth loss in five games. Little has changed for Gerhard Struber and his team as they continue to concede at bad times while also doing little to show that they are as dangerous moving forward as in years past. Montreal controlled the majority of the play in the first half. They caught New York more than a few times on the counter and put a few chances on net. Goalkeeper Carlos Coronel was sharp and the Montreal finishing wasn't on point. Despite all of Montreal's efforts it was New York who took the lead before the end of the first half. Defender Andrew Gutman was taken down in the box and Patryk Klimala was able to convert to give the Red Bulls a sign of life. The second half saw more of the same with Montreal finding the equalizer in the 71st minute. A ball from Djordji Mihailovic near the end line found the head of Sunusi Ibrahim fo

MONTCLAIR, NJ - Charlotte and New York Red Bulls traded goals in an end-to-end affair through the torrential rainstorms, but Sylvain Marveaux's go-ahead goal gave the Independence a 3-2 road victory at MSU Soccer Park Tuesday night. The match was delayed for an hour and ten minutes because of thunderstorms in the North Jersey area. When the match finally got underway, Charlotte got on the scoreboard on the 13th minute when midfielder Marcelo Palamino off a set-piece, whipped the ball right inside the post. New York Red Bulls II answered back in the 18th minute when forward Omar Sowe took a pass from Jeremy Rafanleeo off a break down the right side, dodged past two defenders, and slotted home the equalizer. However, the lead would not last very long. Just six minutes later, Charlotte forward Enzo Martinez connected from a cross at close range from Adam Armour in front of the net to put the visitors in the lead. Charlotte had a chance to go up by two goals before the half, but Brandt

photo by Matt Kremkau Luka Stojanovic scores two early goals, done six minutes apart to give the visiting New York Red Bulls their sixth straight defeat away from Red Bull Arena, losing to the Chicago Fire, 2-1.  The Fire who were looking to end their winless streak in five matches did so emphatically in the second minute with Chinoso Offor received a pass on the top of the eighteen yard box and laid the ball off for Lucas Stojanovic, who then blasted a bullet past the hapless and apparently shocked New York Bulls defenders to take a 1-0 lead. The Red Bulls were recovering from that goal when just two minutes later, Stonjanovic struck again, this time off from set-piece as Carlos Teran delivered a long throw-in into the center of the box, Kyle Duncan headed the ball away, but it went right over to Stonjanovic who volleyed it in to double the lead for the home side, 2-0. Earlier in the week, coach Struber talked about his team "getting close" despite the results not being wher

RB Leipzig start their season with an impressive 4-0 win over SV Sandhausen in the DFB Pokal away from home. Goals from a mix of defenders and attackers dotted the scoresheet as Jesse Marsch's first meaningful game with the club was both decisive and impressive. "They delivered a really good performance," said manger Jesse Marsch after the game. "We kept a clean sheet and, after taking the lead, we continued to apply pressure and showed a good mentality." The scoring started in the 20th minutes through a tricky set piece. Two decoys from Christopher Nkunku and Angelino led to a cross into the box that found the head of Willi Orban. After having an effort denied minutes earlier, the former RB Leipzig captain buried the opportunity and gave his team the lead. Before half time the lead was doubled when Nkunku found Amadou Haidara making a run to score the brace. The second half saw full domination from Leipzig as Sandhausen was on the back-foot from the starting wh

Photo by Ben Soloman MONTCLAIR, NJ - Max Lachowecki notched a game-winning goal and assist to lead the Tampa Bay Rowdies to their second road victory against the New York Red Bulls II this season with a 2-1 result on Friday night at MSU Soccer Park that saw Jordan Adebayo-Smith also find the net. New York Red Bulls II took the early advantage in the 9th minute, with Jake LaCava ripping a shot from just inside the 18-yard box that went to the far post. Tampa Bay was looking to hit back after the early goal, when Sebastian Guenzatti nearly caused some issues with the New York backline in the 15th minute, when he pressured Jason Pendant, causing a turnover, but New York goalkeeper Luca Lewis was up to task, snuffing out the dangerous threat. However, the Rowdies answered back in the 33rd minute, as a carom off a corner kick found the head of Jordan Adebayo-Smith who guided the ball into the back of the goal. Just two minutes into the second half, the Rowdies took the lead. Laurence Wyke s

photo by Matt Kremkau When you have too many of one thing, in this case, too many midfielders on the roster, sooner or later, one would wind up being the odd man out.  The New York Red Bulls have traded midfielder Florian Valot to FC Cincinnati, in exchange for $50,000 in 2022 General Allocation Money, the club announced today. The Red Bulls could also receive an additional $50,000 in 2022 GAM, if Valot meets certain performance-based metrics. “We appreciate all that Florian has given to this club over the last five-plus seasons,” said Head of Sport Kevin Thelwell. “He has been a consummate professional since he joined the club and we wish him all the best moving forward in his career.” Valot, a native of Pau, France, signed his first-team contract on Jan. 2, 2018, after two seasons with New York Red Bulls II. The French midfielder amassed 49 matches played, 10 goals, and 13 assists at the USL Championship level. During his two-year stint with NYRB II, he helped bring a USL Regular-Sea

photo by Matt Kremkau HARRISON, NJ - After two disappointing matches, resulting in losses, the New York Red Bulls looked to turn their fortunes against FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena on Thursday night. However, none would be found as they were forced to settle for only a point after battling to a scoreless draw, 0-0. Early pressure put FC Cincinnati on its heels, but Patryk Klimala's half-volley shot in the 5th minute hit the post, drawing loud groans of frustration from the supporters. Wiki Carmona had a chance in the 28th minute, but his chance went begging as it hit the right side of the net. And, as the first half came to a close, like two blind beggars looking for loose change in the middle of the night, a lot of effort by both squads, but there was nothing to show for it after 45 minutes. The second half started like the first, while the Red Bulls pressed the attack, creating some scoring chances, but not much else, as both teams were looking for something to break through t

RB Leipzig may be in the market for a new attacking midfielder and captain after reports that the Marcel Sabitzer will not renew is contract amidst rumors of a move to Bayern Munich. The report from Goal states the German champions and the Leipzig captain have even begun negotiations on personal terms. Sabitzer is on the last year of his contract with Leipzig, meaning that he can move on a free transfer if terms aren't met for a fee beforehand. It is a massive blow for new manager Jesse Marsch who could be losing his champion at the end of a season at the latest. Sabitzer was a key part of the team over the years becoming a consistent Champions League club. Over 185 games, Sabitzer has scored 40 goals and proven to be an important piece of the offense for several managers at Leipzig, including current Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann. A move could be devastating to the East German club's ambitions to usurp the title from nine-time consecutive champions Munich. At the mo

Nothing is more frustrating than seeing your team take a lead in a match, only to lose it at the death, leaving everyone annoyed and angry at the result. But that's where the New York Red Bulls are at the moment after suffering a bitter defeat at the hand of the New England Revolution, 3-2 at Red Bull Arena on Saturday night. The silver lining in this dark cloud of dread and disappointment is thanks to the Red Bulls playing three matches this week, there's no time to commiserate their shortcomings, for FC Cincinnati comes to Harrison looking to put their season back on track at the expense of the hosts on Wednesday night. During the Media Availability at the Red Bulls Traning Facility, Head coach Gerhard Struber discussed the vital importance of finishing out games, especially against teams that they face, especially those that sit at the top of the conference table... "Yeah, one more time, back to the game against the Revolution, I think after the game it is clear that ev

With Luis Felipe Fernandes scoring twice just five minutes apart, and Dariuz Formella tacking on another goal, the Sacramento Republic FC downed the New York Red Bulls II, 3-1 as the two former USL Championship Final-winners met for the first time on Saturday night. Republic FC midfielder Luis Felipe Fernandes got things going for the home side in the 17th minute as he headed in the set-piece goal from close range, with Dariusz Formella providing the cross from a corner kick. The Republic doubled their lead just five minutes later as Felipe Fernandes once again punished the New York backline with a great team goal, with Duke Lacroix heading in a pass to complete the finish. Just as the New York Red Bulls II were starting to get into the match with some scoring chances provided by Omar Sowe and Emir Tombul respectively. With the Republic streaking down the pitch on the counter-attack, Daniel Edelman fouled Jerome Kiesewetter in the box in the 40th minute, of which he received a yellow c

photo by Matt Kremkau HARRISON, NJ - Adam Buska's goal in stoppage time gave the conference and league-leading New England Revolution their third straight win over the New York Red Bulls, coming from behind to defeat them, 3-2 at Red Bull Arena. Still stinging after their 1-0 defeat at the hands of their bitter rivals, D.C. United on Sunday, the Red Bulls were looking for a much-improved performance in front of their supporters at Red Bull Arena on Saturday. And right at kickoff, then did just that. As the Red Bulls got on the scoreboard in the 8th minute, Kyle Duncan brought the ball down the sideline who found Wiki Carmona open, and he let loose a blistering shot that beat New England goalkeeper Brad Knighton on his left side for his fort goal of the season. The Revolution had two opportunities to level the match, the first one happened in the 22nd minute as Gustavo Bou's shot was blocked by Amro Tarek, but Adam Buska's follow-up shot hit the post, the other one happened