David Raum named new RB Leipzig captain, Peter Gulacsi retains No. 1 keeper role | OneFootball

RB Leipzig have become the second Bundesliga side to switch captains ahead of the coming season. German striker Tim Kliendienst was tapped as Borussia Mönchengladbach’s new skipper yesterday. Today, Leipzig head coach Ole Werner confirmed that German fullback David Raum will take over for German Hungarian defender Willi Orban at the German Red Bulls.

Ralf Rangnick handed Orban the captain’s armband some seven years ago. Orban’s Hungarian national team colleague, keeper Peter Gulacsi, served as a the squad’s vice captain. Speaking at a Thursday press conference, Werner confirmed that Gulacsi had beaten out young challenger Maarten Vandevoort for the No. 1 keeper position.

Despite the fact that Gulacsi will enter the coming season as the starter, the 35-year-old will no longer serve on the team’s leadership council. Austrian midfielder Xaver Schlager shall work as Raum’s new deputy. Orban, Christoph Baumgartner, Benjamin Henrichs, and Castello Lukeba round out the new team leadership circle.

“Maarten will be in goal against Sandhausen [in the opening round DFB Pokal fixture] while Pete [Gulacsi] will start as number one in the Bundesliga games,” Werner said on Thursday. “We honestly didn’t take the decision lightly because it was a very close contest at a very high level. We have two excellent goalkeepers. Pete was slightly ahead in terms of sporting performance, but we also know that Maarten is the future.”

GGFN | Peter Weis