Leipzig carry on bull run

LISBON • There is little in modern football that can truly be described as a fairy-tale romance but RB Leipzig's journey from Germany's regional league system to the last four of the Champions League in just 11 years surely gets close.

The 2-1 upset over La Liga's Atletico Madrid at the Estadio Jose Alvalade on Thursday sent the Bundesliga club into the semi-finals for the first time, where they will face French champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Not even the most ambitious of those involved in the club's creation in 2009 could have imagined their team being 90 minutes away from the biggest game in European club football.

But Tyler Adams' deflected winner two minutes from time - Leipzig had opened the scoring through Dani Olmo before Joao Felix equalised from the spot - means their sights are trained firmly on the club's first major trophy.

"It's normal that when you get to the next round, you want more. Tonight, we're happy. Tomorrow, we will start looking at Paris," coach Julian Nagelsmann said.

"That'll be another difficult game, but we'll have a plan. It is only normal that we want to reach the final now. That's clear. When we are there, then we can talk again.

"It was the team that eliminated Tottenham and now Atletico. It is a team sport and the boys were outstanding. We were the better team.

"This young team showed no nerves. Now to recharge. The match that awaits us is another big game, an even bigger one. So the batteries recharge a bit faster."

The fact that their rapid rise has been bankrolled by energy drink company Red Bull has left Leipzig unloved by many in German football.

However, their success is about much more than the millions of euros pumped into the club, and far more to do with their scouting network and ability to bring players through.

Leipzig have their feeder clubs in Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls and Austria's RB Salzburg, but the focus has never been on mega-money signings.

It is worth noting that their most expensive purchase on the field against Atletico was Slovenian midfielder Kevin Kampl, who cost €20 million (S$32.4 million) when he moved from Bayer Leverkusen in 2017 - a fraction of the €126 million Atletico paid Benfica for Felix last year.

Indeed, their strategy makes them an attractive club for young players, as does Nagelsmann. At 33, he is the youngest coach to lead a team to the last four of the Champions League and the former Hoffenheim boss is already being watched closely by leading clubs who suspect he might be the next Jurgen Klopp.

No one gave Leipzig much of a chance after they sold their best player and top scorer Timo Werner to Chelsea last month, but to make up for the loss of the 34-goal striker, Nagelsmann changed his system to "play with three offensive midfielders to create the space".

Even Atletico coach Diego Simeone, a renowned tactician, admitted that he was outsmarted by his counterpart, whose team were "better, faster... and deserved their victory".

Having already established themselves as Bundesliga contenders and regular Champions League entrants, a win against PSG on Tuesday will offer more proof Leipzig are well ahead of the curve.

"We reached the Bundesliga and now qualified for the Champions League two times," Nagelsmann said. "We're still in the Champions League. The progress is faster than usual."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS