Indian club FC Goa on Thursday (November 12, 2020) announced a three-year strategic partnership with German giants RB Leipzig which will run until June 30, 2023. The new-found association will primarily focus on youth development as it will see the Bundesliga club send coaches to train in Goa while players and coaches from the ISL club’s youth set-up will also move to Leipzig’s youth academy for further development. FC Goa Becomes First Indian Club to Qualify for AFC Champions League After Beating Jamshedpur FC 5-0.

‘I am delighted to have RB Leipzig as our partners. They have shown the world of football how to build from the ground up and that’s something we resonate with. It is our first international partnership and in RB Leipzig, we have the perfect partner’ said FC Goa President and co-owner Akshay Tandon.

RB Leipzig, despite being founded in 2009, have established themselves as one of the biggest European clubs in recent history. The club rose through the lower ranks of German leagues and secured a promotion to Bundesliga in 2016. In their first season in the top-flight, Leipzig finished second and last season, managed to reach the semi-finals of UEFA Champions League, their highest finish in a European competition.

Speaking about the partnership RB Leipzig CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff said ‘We look forward to our partnership with FC Goa. The club, with its young, modern and innovative approach suits us perfectly. We want to break new ground with RB Leipzig and now we look to take our first steps internationally,’

FC Goa will begin their Indian Super League 2020-21 campaign against Bengaluru FC on November 22, 2020. The Gaurs last season became the first Indian club to qualify for the group stage AFC Champions League. Goa have finished runners-up in ISL on two occasions but would be hoping to win their maiden title this season.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 12, 2020 04:19 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).