Rangnick takes RB Leipzig reins for pre-Nagelsmann season

Julian Nagelsmann is set to take over at RB Leipzig in 2019, but until then Ralf Rangnick has opted to take the reins as coach.

This will be Rangnick's second spell in charge of the Leipzig first team, having guided it to promotion in 2015-16.

Ralf Rangnick has temporarily stepped aside from his role as RB Leipzig director of football to coach the first team for the 2018-19 season, as the club waits for the Julian Nagelsmann era to begin next year.

Leipzig pulled off something of a coup by securing the highly rated Nagelsmann for the start of the 2019-20 campaign shortly after Hoffenheim announced the 30-year-old was only going to remain for one more year.

But it left Leipzig in the unusual position of having a coach lined up for the future but not for the coming campaign following Ralph Hasenhuttl's departure.

Jesse Marsch had been expected to take up the position for a year after he left New York Red Bulls on Friday, but instead he is to be Rangnick's assistant.

This will be Rangnick's second spell in charge of the Leipzig first team, having guided it to promotion in 2015-16.