Salzburg and the match ball game under different conditions
With a win at VfL Wolfsburg, FC Salzburg would make it into the round of 16 on the fourth day of the Champions League. In view of the coach change at the Wolves, head coach Matthias Jaissle expects a completely different team than in the 3-1 home win two weeks ago.
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imago images / Eibner Europe
It’s not even two weeks for her as that FC Salzburg about a 3-1 home win against the VfL Wolfsburg was allowed to cheer. And yet the situation before the “second leg” in Germany seems to be completely different than in October: Florian Kohfeldt replaced Mark van Bommel as VfL head coach and brought the team with a 2-0 win at Bayer Leverkusen last weekend back on the road to success.
Champions League, Group G.
His share of the first “threesome” after eight consecutive games without a win Kohfeldt did not rate it too highly, nevertheless, the Salzburg nun should expect a clearer team than on the third matchday. At least that’s what head coach Matthias Jaissle assumes. “Basically, by changing coach, they showed a completely different face when they succeeded at the weekend than they did in the first leg,” emphasized the German at the press conference before the game.
Jaissle sees new virtues at VfL
There was a team on the pitch that fought “really for each other”. “That was noticeable. You showed a few virtues that you might have missed against us in the first leg,” said Jaissle. So expect “certainly a different game” than in Salzburg.
Probably also because striker Wout Weghorst is returning to the Wolfsburg squad after his corona infection. Goalkeeper Philipp Köhn is therefore preparing for a different task: “Of course it makes a difference whether someone is two meters up front. (…) But we are well prepared – no matter who is playing.”
This was also underlined by Jaissle, who naturally did not hide the change in the Wolfsburg constitution. VfL no longer played a 4-2-3-1, but a 3-4-2-1 basic order against Leverkusen. “We are preparing for both systems. We also have a plan if it BECOMES completely different,” said the 33-year-old, who, given the success in Leverkusen, does not expect Kohfeldt to change.
Salzburg still unbeaten
The Salzburgers themselves have little reason for change either. Jaissle is still unbeaten with the “Bulls”, with a win in Wolfsburg the Austrian series champions would reach the last sixteen of the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
But Jaiss doesn’t feel any additional pressure because of: “In fact, it doesn’t matter at all.” Instead, they will try to repeat the performances from the first three games: “We are able to annoy big teams from Germany, Spain and France this season. We decided to do that before the season. We are very happy to continue tomorrow. ”