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RB Leipzig’s Assan Ouédraogo suffers yet another injury setback
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- RB Leipzig’s Assan Ouédraogo suffers yet another injury setback
RB Leipzig's Assan Ouédraogo suffers yet another injury setback
Less than 24 hours after the sensational failure of the Fisnik Asllani transfer , Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig had more bad news to report. Assan Ouédraogo has suffered yet another injury setback and now risks missing the beginning of the 2026/27 Bundesliga campaign. Leipzig confirmed on Saturday that the 20-year-old sustained a capsule injury in his right shoulder during the club's summer training camp in Saalfelden, Austria.
There is at least some positive news. Following detailed examinations, RB have elected to treat the injury conservatively and Ouédraogo will not require surgery. The German international is nevertheless expected to remain sidelined for "a few weeks". The timeframe still places his availability for the beginning of new head coach Martin Demichelis' first competitive campaign in doubt.
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Leipzig travel to Eintracht Trier in the first round of the DFB-Pokal on August 22 before opening their Bundesliga season against Borussia Mönchengladbach one week later. For Ouédraogo, the latest setback represents another frustrating interruption to a career that has repeatedly gathered spectacular momentum only for injuries to intervene.
Ouédraogo's breakthrough repeatedly interrupted
The former Schalke academy talent endured an injury-plagued first season after joining Leipzig in 2024, missing substantial time with knee and complicated thigh problems. Even his place in Leipzig's plans appeared uncertain entering last season. Ouédraogo nevertheless quickly changed the conversation. After establishing himself under then-head coach Ole Werner, the midfielder earned his first Germany U21 call-up in October. Get German Football News documented Ouédraogo's rapid progression from an uncertain Leipzig squad role to German youth international .
The Mülheim native subsequently forced his way into Werner's starting XI and developed into one of Leipzig's most exciting players. His performances eventually earned him an unexpected promotion to Julian Nagelsmann's senior German national team. Following an injury to Mainz midfielder Nadiem Amiri, Ouédraogo received his first senior Germany call-up in November .
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The debut could hardly have gone better.
Ouédraogo entered Germany's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia at Leipzig's Red Bull Arena on November 17 and required only minutes to score his first senior international goal, completing a 6-0 victory. Six days later, his extraordinary rise continued against Werder Bremen. Ouédraogo produced a spectacular strike to open the scoring in Leipzig's 2-0 Bundesliga victory.
What initially appeared to complete a "perfect week" for the teenage talent instead became the beginning of another lengthy injury ordeal. The youngster sustained a tendon injury behind his left knee during the match. Leipzig initially expected him to miss several weeks. GGFN covered the heartbreaking setback only days after Ouédraogo's senior international breakthrough.
January comeback lasted only briefly
Ouédraogo worked his way back into full team training during Leipzig's January camp in Portugal, with Werner reporting that the midfielder "looked very good". At the time, the opportunity to resume one of German football's most promising individual development stories seemed nigh.
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The optimism proved premature.
After returning against Freiburg, Ouédraogo immediately encountered renewed problems with the same knee. Further examinations revealed another severe tendon strain. Leipzig subsequently confirmed that the freshly-capped German international would be sidelined for at least another two months .
Ouédraogo ultimately returned during the closing stages of the Bundesliga campaign and performed well enough to earn a late place in Nagelsmann's World Cup squad after Lennart Karl was forced to withdraw. The Leipzig talent did not receive any minutes during Germany's disappointing tournament.
Ouédraogo entered the new season hoping finally to enjoy an uninterrupted run under Demichelis. Instead, another injury has intervened before competitive football has even begun.
