The weekend of 18–19 July 2026: A tough first friendly for RB Leipzig, a man seriously injured in the city centre, protecting babies from alcohol

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It wasn’t the Champions League just yet, but RB Leipzig’s first pre-season friendly. As a result, the match against fourth-tier side Altglienicke proved to be a hard-fought affair. A brawl in the city centre resulted in serious injuries. Also: From tomorrow, Saxony’s Ministry of Social Affairs is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy. The LZ summarises the key events from the weekend of 18–19 July 2026 in Leipzig and beyond.

RB Leipzig struggle to secure their first pre-season win

It was only on Monday that the RB Leipzig footballers began their pre-season preparations under their new manager, Martin Demichelis. On Saturday, the Bundesliga side had their first friendly match on the agenda. In Markranstädt, the Rasenballer faced VSG Altglienicke in front of just under 1,500 spectators.

VSG Altglienicke, for their part, have all but completed their pre-season preparations, as they are due to play their first league match in the Regionalliga Nordost in just one week’s time. The Berlin side had significantly strengthened their squad over the summer and are pursuing a clear goal: promotion to the 3. Liga. Accordingly, they gave the clear favourites – who were, however, far from being a well-rehearsed unit – a real run for their money.

Castello Lukeba (23, RB Leipzig) ahead of Jonas Nietfeld (10, VSG Altglienicke). Photo: Jan Kaefer

Here’s how the goals were scored:

In the 8th minute, Tidiam Gomis played the ball through to Brajan Gruda just beyond the halfway line. His marker ran into space, allowing the Brighton loanee to make an unchallenged run towards goal from the right-hand side. On the edge of the penalty area, Gruda then struck with his left foot, firing a low shot to make it 1–0 early on.

In the 22nd minute, however, after launching an attack of their own, the Rasenballer failed to track back in time for the counter-attack. Altglienicke, on the other hand, moved the ball quickly. Emeka Oduah surged down the right wing and played a through ball to Jonas Nietfeld on the halfway line. Nietfeld left both Castello Lukeba and the onrushing goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi in his wake and finished successfully from just under 20 metres to level the score at 1–1. The score remained level as the teams went into the half-time break.

Shortly after the restart, however, RBL regained the lead with a completely reshuffled line-up: Samba Konate blocked a Berlin build-up attempt on the left flank just outside the penalty area, allowing the ball to fall to Romulo’s feet. He played a quick one-two with Andrija Maksimovic and then delivered a fine cross across the penalty area, finding the head of the onrushing and completely unmarked Johan Bakayoko. He nodded the ball unstoppably into the far corner to make it 2–1 (51’). The score remained that way until the final whistle.

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Man seriously injured following altercation in the city centre

Three young people sustained injuries, some of them serious, during an altercation on Saturday evening. A 20-year-old man was so severely injured “with a dangerous object” that he even required intensive care in hospital, according to a statement from the Leipzig Police Headquarters. Also involved were a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, both of whom were able to leave hospital after receiving medical treatment.

Exactly what happened on that fateful evening in the heart of Leipzig’s city centre on Katharinenstraße remains entirely unclear. “The Criminal Investigation Department’s enquiries into the exact circumstances of the offence, the weapon used, other individuals involved and the presumed sequence of events are ongoing,” is all the police can currently say about this incident.

New Saxony campaign: “100% love – 0% alcohol”

From tomorrow, the Saxony Ministry of Social Affairs is launching a new campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol during pregnancy and foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD). FASD encompasses conditions caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy which can significantly impair the development of the unborn child. Around 10,000 babies are born with FASD in Germany every year. According to relevant surveys, more than 20 per cent of pregnant women consume alcohol.

“Alcohol during pregnancy can have tragic consequences. In the worst-case scenario, the child is born with FASD and will require support for the rest of their life. At the same time, FASD is 100 per cent preventable,” said Minister of State Petra Köpping (SPD) at the launch of the campaign. “The responsibility for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child does not lie solely with the expectant mother, but is shared by both future parents, friends, relatives, colleagues and, above all, us as a society as a whole. That is why it remains crucial to further raise public awareness of FASD and its causes.”

From bakery bags and stickers to social media clips, the campaign’s content will be shared with the public until 9 September. This date was not chosen at random, as it marks the Day for Children Affected by Alcohol.

Screenshot (excerpt) from the Saxon Ministry of Social Affairs’ new campaign “100% Love – 0% Alcohol”.

What the LZ reported over the weekend:

Cuts to housing benefit: Leipzig Pass recipients face particular hardship

No rest, no turning back – queer rights, step by step! That was the CSD in Leipzig on 18 July 2026

From the city and across the river: Jörg Jacob invites you to follow in Seume’s footsteps

Fewer and fewer compensation areas within Leipzig’s city limits: the Parks Department has no figures

Financial straits take their toll: Leipzig has radically cut back on its first seven road construction projects

Jens Spahn: Baby joy in the worst feudal lord style. A commentary

Detecting Alzheimer’s before the first symptoms appear: A conversation with Dr Ingolf Lachmann from Roboscreen

Partly because there’s a shortage of lifeguards: There won’t be a water rescue station on the Cossi before 2030.

7.34 to 7.78 euros per square metre: Even subsidised rents in Leipzig are exceeding the KdU limits

Stadtwerke Leipzig: When will the Süd combined heat and power plant actually be powered by hydrogen?

Other important news:

Between four and nine per cent of all textile products placed on the market in Europe are destroyed without ever having been worn – according to estimates by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The EU now wants to curb this. As of today, the Ecodesign Regulation (ESPR) prohibits the destruction of unsold or returned clothing and footwear.

The wildfire that broke out north-east of the Spanish capital, Madrid, is still out of control. The flames advanced by around 14 kilometres last night alone and have already destroyed over 13,000 hectares of forest in total. More than 500 emergency personnel are doing everything they can on the ground and creating firebreaks. At least this has so far kept the fire away from built-up areas. Nevertheless, 20 localities have been evacuated as a precaution.

Contrary to the downward trend in the economy, the skilled trades sector in Germany can look forward to rising numbers of apprentices in the first half of 2026. Compared with the first six months of 2025, 4.9 per cent more apprenticeship contracts have been signed. The figure has thus risen by 3,160 to 67,800 contracts. Nevertheless, there are still more than 20,000 apprenticeship places vacant across the country.