Assan Ouédraogo Shines in Breakout Season with RB Leipzig

omidbasir- Assan Ouédraogo’s season with RB Leipzig has exceeded all expectations for the 19-year-old midfielder. Just two minutes into his debut for the German national team on Tuesday, he made an immediate impact at the Red Bull Arena. Last night, in a Bundesliga match against Werder Bremen, Ouédraogo scored a stunning goal that turned out to be the decisive factor in a 1-0 victory.

Despite the significance of the goal, Ouédraogo humbly stated that it was not the best of his young career. In a post-match interview, he reflected on his past experiences in the DFB youth ranks, saying, “I’ve scored two better ones: one in the U-19 European Championship with a drop kick into the corner and another in the U-15 where I scored directly off the kickoff. This one was a bit lucky. I try to play my game, and things are certainly going well at the moment, but I’m having some luck and will take that too.”

“It’s been a perfect week,” Ouédraogo continued. “Two goals. Two wins. Two clean sheets. It doesn’t get any better than this.”

Ouédraogo’s resurgence is emblematic of RB Leipzig’s narrative this season. Following a disheartening 6-0 defeat to FC Bayern Munich on opening night, newly appointed head coach Ole Werner faced significant challenges. Meanwhile, Christoph Baumgartner, an Austrian midfielder rumored to be on the move during the summer, has been instrumental for Leipzig, contributing an assist in their recent match.

Both Baumgartner and Werner praised Ouédraogo’s performance during their post-match interviews. Baumgartner expressed his happiness for Ouédraogo, stating, “He had a difficult time in his first year. He’s currently on a high, inspired by the national team and his goals. But that’s no coincidence. He’s a great guy who works very hard, now believes in himself, and is fit. That goal was an expression of pure quality.”

Werner added, “It’s special to work with young players who perform like this. One observes them getting better every day in training and matches. That brings a lot of joy, and Assan has developed superbly so far. He’s certainly not near the top of his potential yet.”