Red Bull Salzburg is close to their biggest club triumph in Lille
In Lille, the French champion and the first pursuer piles up as a hurdle. Before the penultimate group game, Salzburg leads the table with the best promotion chances by two points.
Cops with confidence and understatement
The cops set off for Lille on Monday with demonstrative confidence and the usual understatement. “We’re going to Lille with a big chest and of course we want to annoy them again. We are in good spirits and well prepared,” said coach Matthias Jaissle at Salzburg Airport. He emphasized that he didn’t like to talk about match points and only warned against a “top team” with “unbelievable quality”. “We have to be at the hut.”
Okafor in Lille questionable
The fact that the current twelfth of Ligue 1 is beatable was shown by Salzburg with a 2-1 home win. Jaissle’s staff are unchanged, even the same starting line-up as in the first leg at the end of September is considered likely. There was still a question mark behind attacker Noah Okafor, who is suffering from a hardened thigh. Oumar Solet is training fully with the team again, and according to Jaissle, a full 90-minute mission is still too early.
at @noah_okafor The thigh “pinches” – its use is questionable. @OSOLET_ is not yet at 100 percent and WILL not be in start 11.
Can be different @RedBullSalzburg – except for the long-term injuries – rely on all team kickers. #RBS #RedBullSalzburg pic.twitter.com/z0twV48VP1– Aleksandar Andonov (@ aleksandonov15) November 22, 2021
First Salzburg ascent within reach
The game in the north of France has the potential to be a historic event. With a win, Die Salzburger fix would move into the knockout round of the premier class for the first time in club history. Even a draw would be enough if Sevilla do not manage to win at home against Wolfsburg at the same time. The Austrian club has only made it up from the first group stage so far. That was 21 years ago. The 2021 coup would be gilded by an additional 9.6 million euros, which would be distributed by UEFA for qualifying for the round of 16. But a horror scenario with two wins and an international end is still mathematically possible.
“Table in the back of your mind”
While Jaissle continues to refrain from arithmetic games, Okafor admitted that he would like to sort things out on Tuesday. “We actually decided to always look from game to game,” said the Swiss, but admitted: “The table is always a bit in the back of our mind.” After three games with seven points already fantastically on track, it could still be a close one. The 1: 2 in the last group game in Wolfsburg was a first small setback.
French cauldron
Salzburg also played in the league with a 1-0 win against Austria Wien and a 0-0 win against Admira. Jaissle gently smiled away when asked about Karim Adeyemi and Co.’s current lack of killer instinct. “At the weekend we also had a bit of bad luck.” He made that clear in his morning address to the team. “I’m sure we’ll do better tomorrow.” Okafor also said: “We are able to annoy and hit any opponent.”
Before pandemic-related ghost games in Austria – including the possible group “final” against Seville on December 8th – it is likely to get heated again in the stands. The Stade Pierre Mauroy, which can hold almost 50,000 spectators, will be well filled. The stadium, which was built for the European Championship in 2016, has the reputation of a cauldron thanks to its closable roof.
Okafor is expecting madhouse
Jaissle predicted: “It’ll be a great atmosphere.” Okafor expected a similar madhouse as in the Champions League qualification in Brondby. “If we try to block that out as best we can and focus on ourselves, we’ll do well.”
The opponent has invited to a “match capital”, a play-off game. Twenty years after Lille’s very first premier class appearance, the heroes of the time are expected to keep their fingers crossed. Last year’s sensation champion rarely felt like partying. Jocelyn Gourvennec’s team hoisted themselves in an excellent position thanks to the 2-1 win in Seville in the European Cup, but Ligue 1 is a bumpy one.
Lille is very ailing
Lille have been without a win for five league games. “The Great Danes are tired,” it was said last – and weakened as a replacement. The entire middle three of the Seville success could be missing. Renato Sanches has returned from the Portuguese national team with an adductor injury, Benjamin André and Jonathan Ikoné are suspended. In addition, the coach recently missed serenity and maturity. AS Monaco was given the equalizer on Friday, the national holiday in the Principality, despite the majority (2: 2).
On the other hand, young Canadian star Jonathan David, who has scored the youngest nine goals in Lille in competitive games, is in good shape. The game will be led by the Englishman Anthony Taylor, the referee of the European Championship round of 16 between Austria and Italy.
(Source: APA)
