Ghanaian forward Manuel Abbey’s hopes of showcasing his talent on Europe’s biggest stages will have to wait, as RB Leipzig failed to secure qualification for any European competition next season.
Leipzig’s 7th-place finish in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season ends their streak of continuous continental appearances since their top-flight debut in 2016.
On the final day, the team suffered a heartbreaking 2-3 defeat at home to VfB Stuttgart—a loss that allowed Mainz to leapfrog them and claim the last UEFA Europa Conference League spot.
At the top of the Bundesliga, Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Borussia Dortmund claimed the four coveted UEFA Champions League places, while Freiburg secured a slot in the UEFA Europa League alongside Mainz.
Leipzig’s campaign was characterized by inconsistency, particularly in crucial matches during the final stages of the season.
Despite having a strong squad on paper, the team’s failure to capitalize on key opportunities ultimately cost them a place in Europe’s tournaments next year.
Manuel Abbey, who joined Leipzig last summer from Bundesliga side Hamburger SV , made notable strides during the season in the U-17 team
The young forward impressed with his speed and work rate, scoring his first Bundesliga goal in October and quickly establishing himself as one of the club’s promising talents. However, even his promising contributions weren’t enough to salvage Leipzig’s European ambitions.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Bochum and newly promoted Holstein Kiel were relegated after finishing in the bottom two. Meanwhile, Heidenheim will contest a relegation playoff against the third-placed 2. Bundesliga side to fight for their place in the top division.
For Abbey and RB Leipzig, the focus now shifts to rebuilding and refocusing on domestic success, with ambitions to return to European competition in the coming season
