The 'Ready' Mission: New RB Leipzig CEO Tatjana Haenni On Breaking Bayern's Bundesliga Grip

The German Bundesliga is often perceived in the international market as a competition where Bayern Munich are all but certain to win the league title, while other teams battle it out for the remaining Champions League and Europa League spots. RB Leipzig remains one such club that has shown glimpses of going all the way in Germany's top flight, challenging Bayern and even daring to progress deep into the Champions League. However, the task is far harder than it appears. RB Leipzig's new CEO, Tatjana Haenni, the first-ever woman to lead a top European men's club, knows how vital it is to be 'ready' in this business.

A couple of seasons ago, it was Bayer Leverkusen who achieved the unthinkable by beating Bayern Munich to the Bundesliga title. Though the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons saw the Bavarian giants return to 'business as usual' by winning back-to-back titles, Haenni highlighted the importance of refining Leipzig's DNA and being prepared for when the next opportunity arises.

"I'm a big believer that you have to go your own way. We have our philosophy; we have been a trendsetter with young, talented players... we just have to get back on track and continue doing our own thing, which is clearly defined by young, talented, hungry players," she said during a media conference attended by NDTV.

"You have to be ready for when Bayern are perhaps not at their highest or having their best season. That is when you have a chance to win the championship, and that is our goal. We want to work on our DNA... so that whenever there is a chance and Bayern are not playing as they have this year, we are ready to jump on it," the 59-year-old said. While acknowledging Bayern's dominance in German football, she remains keen for Leipzig to be positioned to strike when their rivals falter.

"Champions League Qualification Key"

At present, Haenni's most immediate priority is ensuring RB Leipzig secures a spot in the UEFA Champions League, a qualification she deems crucial for the club's transfer market ambitions.

"For us, this is our clearly stated objective. We want to qualify for the Champions League... the implications of not qualifying would be massive. As you all know, the financial contributions between qualifying for the Champions League and not are incredible. Naturally, this has an impact on our club, our next season, and our overall financial model. Not qualifying would likely mean we have to be tough regarding player sales and transfers," she explained.

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