"Germany's most hated club": Get to know Huddersfield Town's pre-season opponents RB Leipzig

Huddersfield Town will take on Bundesliga outfit RB Leipzig on their pre-season tour this summer.

Town have never faced the newly-formed club in their past, with Town's last German opponents coming last year when the Terriers travelled to Hamburg to face Altona 93.

Leipzig's best season came in 2016/17 when they finished runners-up in the Bundesliga, but despite their success, the Red Bulls' history is one marred with controversy.

Here's what you should know about the German side ahead of the summer clash.

Details

Name: RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V

Nickname: Die Bullen (The Bulls), Die Roten Bullen (The Red Bulls)

Stadium: Red Bull Arena

Division: Bundesliga

Manager: Vacant (Julian Nagelsmann from 2019/20 onwards)

Julian Nagelsmann will step down as Hoffenheim manager after the 2018/19 season to take charge of RB Leipzig

History

Bundesliga runners-up: 2016/17

2. Bundesliga runners-up: 2015/16

3. Liga runners-up: 2013/14

Regionalliga Nordostchampions: 2012/13

NOFV-Oberliga Süd champions: 2009/10, 2014/15

Sachsenliga champions: 2013/14

Bezirksliga Leipzig champions: 2009/10, 2010/11

Saxony Cup winners: 2010/11, 2012/13

RB Leipzig became the fifth Red Bull football club after Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, the New York Red Bulls, Red Bull Brasil and Red Bull Ghana in May, 2009.

The company had been searching to break into German football three years before the eventual deal with SSV Markranstadt allowed them to, but each team they approached suffered from fan protests due to Red Bull's naming policy amongst other disputes.

DFB (Deutscher Fußball-Bund e.V.) rules however forbid Red Bull naming the team after the company, leading them to name Leipzig "RasenBallsport", meaning "Lawn Ball Sports".

This allowed the team to continue with the initials "RB".

SSV Markranstadt provided the playing right for the Oberliga (fifth tier of German football) as well as four senior teams for RB Leipzig, who filled their junior quote buy purchasing youth teams from local side FC sachsen Leipzig, who were experiencing financial difficulties.

The club's first competitive match came in 2009 and led to a first promotion for the newly-founded side, one which was followed up with another just three seasons later.

The next season brought another promotion for Leipzig and in 2016 the side from Saxony became a Bundesliga club just seven years after being founded.

The rise was not without protests, with Union Berlin, Borussia Dortmund and Dynamo Dresden just a few teams to express their hatred of RB Leipzig's structure - the latter of which threw a bull's head towards the pitch during a German Cup clash.

Fans of Hoffenheim, who were also branded as one of the Bundesliga’s other 'plastic' clubs, even brandish sarcastic placards during a match, which read: “We want our throne back: Germany’s most hated club.”

Last season

Last season the Red Bulls finished sixth in the German top flight.

Bayern Munich, Schalke, Hoffenheim, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen all finished above Leipzig, who won just four of their last 12 matches to slump to the final European spot.

Ralph Husenhuttl's men were also knocked out of the German Cup at the second-round stage by league champions Bayern, who claimed victory via a penalty shootout.

RB Leipzig finished behind Besiktas and Porto in their Champions League group and entered the Europa League at the Round of 32 stage.

They eventually made it to the quarter-finals where they were beaten by finalists Olympique Marseille.

Dangerman

Timo Werner in action with Germany during the 2018 World Cup

Timo Werner is RB Leipzig's dangerman and is the only Red Bulls player in the German 2018 World Cup team.

The 22-year-old joined Leipzig from VfB Stuttgart in 2016 and netted 26 goals in 38 appearances for club and country in his debut season.

Last season was leaner for the 16-time capped international, but he still netted 23 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions and became the Red Bulls' second-highest scoring player of all time.

Werner has made two appearances in this summer's World Cup competition, playing 90 minutes against Sweden and 86 against Mexico.

The youngster has been linked with a move away from the Red Bull Arena this summer having admitted he needs to leave to fulfill his potential.

A long list of top-flight teams have been linked with the striker.

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Fabio Coltorti, Philipp Köhn, Yvon Mvogo, Peter Gulacsi, Marius Muller.

Defenders: Bernardo, Willi Orban, Dayot Upamecano, Ibrahima Konate, Lukas Klostermann, Marcel Halstenberg, Felix Beiersdorf, Nordi Mukiele, Atinc Nukan.

Midfielders: Marcel Sabitzer, Stefan Ilsanker, Konrad Laimer, Diego Demme, Kevin Kampl, Zsolt Kalmar.

Forwards: Massimo Bruno, Matheus Cunha, Omar Damari, Agyemang Diawusie,