From German third tier to Champions League - Poulsen earns 400th cap for Leipzig

RB Leipzig close out the Bundesliga fixtures against a St. Pauli side who have yet to get to grips with the top flight on their return to the competition. Marco Rose's men, who have already conceded a draw against Union Berlin (0-0), will be hoping to avoid dropping any more points in a battle against the usual favourites such as Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen.

In midweek, the German side lost at the Metropolitano to Atletico Madrid with a late goal from Jose Maria Gimenez on the very day that Yussuf Poulsen made history and became the first player in the club's history to reach 400 appearances. Despite being Danish, the 30-year-old's career is directly linked to that of the short-lived club, founded in 2009 after buying SSV Markranstadt's place in Germany's fifth division.

The team from the eastern city were promoted to the fourth division straight away, and in 2012-13 they managed to climb up to the third tier. It was at that point that, showing financial muscle, RB Leipzig took a gamble on a then young Yussuf Poulsen and shelled out €1.5 million for his signature, an incredible sum for the team's current division. The Dane had shone at Lyngby and quickly became a key man in a team that was promoted to the 2. Bundesliga in 2013-14 as a stepping stone to the top flight in 2015-16.

Since then, Poulsen has won titles, earned caps for Denmark and generated interest from other clubs, but he has remained loyal to Leipzig. On Thursday he reached 400 appearances, more than any player who has played for the club in its 15-year history. After him, Emil Forsberg has 325, Willi Orban has 313 and Peter Gulacsi has made 307 appearances. Other past and present team-mates with a high number of appearances for the club include: Lukas Klostermann (294), Kevin Kampl (250), Marcel Halstenberg (240), Marcel Sabitzer (229), Diego Demme (214) and Timo Werner (213).

 

September 20, 2024