RB Leipzig's Assan Ouédraogo Suffers Another Injury Setback

RB Leipzig has received further disappointing news following the failed transfer of Fisnik Asllani, as Assan Ouédraogo has encountered another injury, jeopardizing his participation at the commencement of the 2026/27 Bundesliga season. The club announced on Saturday that the 20-year-old sustained a shoulder capsule injury in his right shoulder during their summer training camp in Saalfelden, Austria.

Fortunately, the outlook is not entirely negative. Following thorough medical assessments, RB Leipzig has opted for a conservative treatment approach, meaning Ouédraogo will avoid surgery. However, the German international is still expected to be sidelined for "a few weeks." This timeframe casts doubt on his availability for the inaugural competitive match under new head coach Martin Demichelis.

Leipzig is scheduled to face Eintracht Trier in the DFB-Pokal first round on August 22, followed by their Bundesliga season opener against Borussia Mönchengladbach a week later. For Ouédraogo, this latest setback marks yet another frustrating interruption to a career that has repeatedly shown great promise, only to be hampered by injuries.

Ouédraogo's Breakthroughs Repeatedly Interrupted

The former Schalke academy prodigy endured an injury-plagued debut season after joining Leipzig in 2024, losing significant time due to knee and complex thigh issues. His place in Leipzig's plans was even uncertain heading into the last season. Nevertheless, Ouédraogo quickly turned the narrative around. After establishing himself under then-head coach Ole Werner, the midfielder received his first call-up to the Germany U21 squad in October. His rapid ascent from an uncertain role within the Leipzig squad to a German youth international was well-documented.

The native of Mülheim subsequently earned a starting position in Werner's lineup and developed into one of Leipzig's most exciting talents. His performances eventually led to 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.

His debut could not have been more impressive.

Ouédraogo entered Germany's World Cup qualifier against Slovakia at Leipzig's Red Bull Arena on November 17 and scored his first senior international goal within minutes, sealing a 6-0 victory. Six days later, his extraordinary rise continued against Werder Bremen. Ouédraogo netted a spectacular goal to open the scoring in Leipzig's 2-0 Bundesliga win.

What initially seemed to cap off a "perfect week" for the teenage talent instead marked the beginning of another extended injury ordeal. The youngster suffered a tendon injury behind his left knee during the match. Leipzig initially anticipated he would miss several weeks. This heartbreaking setback was reported shortly after Ouédraogo's senior international breakthrough.

January Comeback Was Short-Lived

Ouédraogo returned to full team training during Leipzig's January camp in Portugal, with Werner reporting that the midfielder "looked very good." At the time, it seemed the opportunity to resume one of German football's most promising individual development stories was imminent.

However, this optimism proved to be premature.

Upon returning to play against Freiburg, Ouédraogo immediately experienced renewed problems with the same knee. Further examinations revealed another severe tendon strain. Leipzig subsequently confirmed that the recently capped German international would be sidelined for at least another two months.

Ouédraogo eventually returned in the closing stages of the Bundesliga campaign and performed well enough to earn a late call-up to Nagelsmann's World Cup squad after Lennart Karl was forced to withdraw. However, the Leipzig talent did not feature in any minutes during Germany's disappointing tournament performance.

Ouédraogo began the new season hoping to finally enjoy an uninterrupted run under Demichelis. Instead, another injury has intervened before competitive football has even commenced.

By Peter Weis