Bundesliga
"Guardiola's Barca is my role model" - Nagelsmann
Strong in possession, experts in pressing and lethal in front of goal: if there's a hint of the Barcelona about RB Leipzig under Julian Nagelsmann then it should come as no surprise, with the 32-year-old head coach hailing the Spanish club's era under Pep Guardiola as inspirational for his own career on the touchline.
Nagelsmann only took over at the Red Bull Arena in July following four successful years at Hoffenheim, but he has already managed to put his stamp on the side currently second in the Bundesliga standings following five wins and one draw in their opening six fixtures of the campaign.
And Leipzig's suffocating playing style is no accident. "My role model is Pep Guardiola's Barcelona," he told France Football, recalling the former Bayern Munich coach's four-year spell at the Catalan club in which he won 14 major titles – including two in the UEFA Champions League – with a possession-based style of play that opponents invariably had no answer to.
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"I always observed his work, especially the way his team would burst forwards within seconds of winning the ball," Nagelsmann continued. "He made a name for himself that is worthy of Johan Cruyff. Only very few teams have managed to dominate possession by playing so high up the pitch.
"Guardiola inspired me a lot, as did Thomas Tuchel, who was my coach at Augsburg [in the reserves from 2007-2008]. He's a perfectionist, it was very intensive and challenging with him."
Nagelsmann's Leipzig players would no doubt say the same about their boss, with Die Roten Bullen among the Bundesliga's hardest-working sides having collectively covered 440 miles and made 1283 sprints this season.
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It is, however, all in the name of achieving maximum success. Nagelsmann has previously targeted winning a trophy within the next four years and believes his side could become long-term rivals for Bayern and Borussia Dortmund if they can continue their current trajectory.
"We'll have to wait and see if we can be part of a changing of the guard," he said. "Bayern and Dortmund are still a long way ahead of us. Bayern have been on top for a number of decades and BVB have been very stable for the past 10 years.
"If we can maintain our level for the next seven or eight years then we'll belong in the same category as them. We've still got a long way go, but we've got the ambition to attack them and also to use their unbelievable consistency as an inspiration."
Leipzig's next chance to underline their status as up-and-coming heavyweights is against Olympique Lyon in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Nagelsmann's men eager to cement top spot in Group G after their opening win away to Benfica.
They then face a tricky couple of domestic fixtures against fellow European participants Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg – the kind of matches Nagelsmann loves about the Bundesliga.
"I can imagine staying in Germany my whole career," he said. "Because I love the passion for the games, the enthusiasm and the fact that the fantastic stadiums are always full."