• Christoph Baumgartner completed successful surgery on 3 June following a serious muscle injury
• The Austrian midfielder will miss the 2026 World Cup in North America due to the fitness setback
• National team coach Ralf Rangnick expressed devastation at losing the in-form player
• Baumgartner will begin his rehabilitation programme in Leipzig ahead of the new club season

Christoph Baumgartner has undergone a successful operation after a cruel injury destroyed his dream of competing at the World Cup. The Austrian midfielder had the surgery on 3 June following the muscle problem he suffered before the international friendly against Tunisia.

The setback means the 25-year-old will not recover in time to represent Austria at the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. He is now expected to miss the entire tournament.

Rather than joining his national teammates next summer, Baumgartner will begin his rehabilitation immediately. He will carry out most of his recovery in Leipzig as he prepares for the 2026-27 club campaign.

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick was deeply disappointed by the news. He must plan for the World Cup without one of his most important players, despite Baumgartner scoring 17 goals this season.

• Ole Werner selects David Raum as the new club captain
• Christoph Baumgartner hits career-best goal numbers this season
• Both players have stepped up during a time of change at the club
• Werner highlights their impact in difficult moments on the pitch

RB Leipzig head coach Ole Werner has spoken highly of two key players who have taken on bigger roles this season. The 38-year-old manager gave an exclusive interview where he discussed leadership within his squad.

Werner made a bold choice when he picked David Raum as the new captain. He explained that the defender brings energy and strong communication skills to the role. “David is a very talkative person. He has lots of energy,” Werner said.

The coach also thanked the previous captain, Willi Orbán. He noted that the Hungarian defender led the team well during a difficult period of change. Orbán showed great character and led by example. Werner believes this helped the squad stay strong.

Werner also had kind words for Christoph Baumgartner. The Austrian midfielder has scored more than ten goals for the first time in his career. He has also helped create goals, giving him 21 direct involvements in total.

“He takes on lots of responsibility both on and off the pitch,” Werner said about Baumgartner. The player joined from Hoffenheim and has now moved out of the shadow of his former team-mates. Werner thinks his new role at Leipzig has helped him grow.

The coach remembered two key games where Baumgartner made the difference. He scored two goals against Köln and played well against Heidenheim after a loss to Bayern Munich. Werner said the Austrian often plays his best when the team faces hard times. This is a very important quality for the side.

• Bayer Leverkusen beat RB Leipzig 4-1 in the Bundesliga, with Patrik Schick scoring a hat-trick against his former club.
• Coach Ole Werner admitted his team were ‘too slow’ and failed to cope with Leverkusen’s attacks through the centre of the pitch.
• Christoph Baumgartner, who scored Leipzig’s only goal, insists the team will still qualify for the Champions League despite the heavy loss.

Bayer Leverkusen hammered RB Leipzig 4-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday. Patrik Schick netted a treble against his former employers. It was the Czech striker’s fifth hat-trick in Germany’s top flight. The result stunned the Saxony outfit. Despite this, they still control their own fate in the race for Champions League football.

Head coach Ole Werner pulled no punches in his assessment. “Everyone knows Leverkusen are a top side,” he remarked. “The problem was our display. We prepared for their strength through the middle. We failed to cope with it. Our defence could not handle their pressure. Going forward, we were sluggish and static for too long.”

Werner is enjoying a solid first campaign at the Red Bull Arena. He inherited a side that had just missed European qualification for the first time ever. Yet Die Roten Bullen have suffered badly against Xabi Alonso’s men this season. They lost both fixtures with a combined score of 7-2.

The 36-year-old has already switched focus to the next challenge. Leipzig host St Pauli next Saturday. “The season goes down to the wire,” Werner added. “St Pauli are fighting for survival. We must be ready for that battle. We will train hard this week.”

Christoph Baumgartner offered a united front. The Austrian midfielder grabbed a consolation for his 14th goal of the campaign. He conceded Leverkusen were the better team. “They earned the three points,” he said. “Sometimes you have off days. It is not acceptable, yet it happens to every club. We cannot feel sorry for ourselves. We must review the tape and focus forward.”

Baumgartner pointed to inexperience as a possible factor in these big matches. “Maybe we need more maturity in these tests,” he suggested. “But what matters is our league position. I believe we will secure Champions League football. The fans will pack the house against St Pauli. I know we will deliver.”

The defeat exposes a concerning pattern. Six of Leipzig’s eight league losses have come against sides in the top six. Bayern Munich contributed an 11-2 aggregate mauling earlier in the campaign. Borussia Dortmund also escaped with four points after Leipzig squandered leads in both encounters.