RB Leipzig head coach Marco Rose talks title aspirations, Jürgen Klopp and more

bundesliga.com: Last week, it was announced that Klopp will become the new head of global soccer at Red Bull from January 2025. It’s been a while since you last worked together, but what are your thoughts on working alongside each other in the future?

Marco Rose: "I am looking forward to his expertise, to many discussions with him from coach to coach – although he's not a coach anymore. But he was one of the most successful coaches for many years. He won everything: the Bundesliga, the English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League. I played under him at Mainz. He didn't just win titles, but also went through tough times - we were even relegated. He didn't win the title in his first or second year at [Borussia] Dortmund. Even at Liverpool, he had to work at things and put together a squad that suited him. That paid off in the end. As such, his expertise and aura will definitely benefit and help us, and I'm definitely looking forward to it."

bundesliga.com: Are there aspects of this upcoming working relationship where you’d say Jürgen could enrich or further your work as a coach?

Rose: "Definitely. I'm looking forward to talking with him about football and what he's done down the years, because his style of play has also changed and, therefore, almost certainly his training methods and approach. The most important thing for me is that Kloppo was a coach at a top level himself and so understands Rose the coach, [Pep] Lijnders the coach or [Sandro] Schwarz the coach in New York. He can offer support and help. It’ll be a good exchange. It's a real bonus, a great signing, and we’re excited about it."

bundesliga.com: Concentrating on Leipzig now, your defence is one of the best in Europe - you've conceded just twice in six Bundesliga games. Are you proud of that record? Are there still things to improve?

Rose: "I haven't thought much about it. It obviously helps to have a good defence, but it's also important that we score goals. I think we defend well on the whole as a team. That's the key thing, but we can still do better. In the [UEFA] Champions League game against Juventus, for example, and how we defended in the box. Our counter-pressing and transitions, too. I think we’re generally good defensively and work hard, but we can still get better throughout the team."