Champions League – The Salzburg round of 16 curse
Red Bull Salzburg and the Champions League – that was an unfortunate liaison for a long time. It was not until 2019 that qualification for the European premier class was achieved for the first time in the can era, with which the curse that had already become manifest could be shaken off after eleven unsuccessful attempts. when Sevilla FC appear in the empty bull arena on Wednesday (9 p.m. / Servus-TV), it is again about the end of a negative series, as the eleven from Mozart’s birth town have only entered the club three times in their club history missed the knockout phase of the Champions League.
This time, after the furious start with seven points in the first half of the season, it would be particularly bitter if the already saving draw did not succeed – because no club has had to die with such a total bankruptcy in the second half of the season.
We look back on the past Salzburg finals.
1994 0-1 against AC Milan. Otto Baric’s violet miracle team was drawn as the Uefa Cup finalist in the strong group with the later finalists Ajax Amsterdam and AC Milan. The brimming Prater oval wanted to whip the SV Salzburg to the next sensation, especially since a draw against the current title holder would have been enough for promotion. After a strong start (a shot from Nikola Jurcevic grazed past the far corner), Daniele Massaro hit the dust goal (26th) right in the heart of all of Austria’s football team. Because Otto Konrad, Heimo Pfeifenberger and Co. could no longer find a recipe against the hardened Rossoneri, conducted by Dejan Savicevic.
2019 0-2 against Liverpool. Almost exactly 25 years later, football history was to repeat itself – again on the last match day it was about promotion, again the reigning champion waited in front of the home crowd, again the euphoria was enormous. But again Salzburg were torn from all Champions League dreams. A win against Liverpool should have been, after the strong performance in Anfield (3: 4 defeat) for Erling Haaland and Co. not an impossibility. And the Norwegian force of nature, which rose like a meteor that autumn, would have had two times on the foot of shocking Jürgen Klopp’s star ensemble in one of their last appearances in Salzburg – before the ex-Salzburg Naby Keïta (57th) and Mon. Salah (58th) made things clear for a double blow.
2020 0-2 against Atletico. Also in the previous year it was time to say goodbye to the Champions League at the beginning of December. In the strong group with the cup holder Bayern Munich, Jesse Marsch’s team kept the race open until the last matchday with a meager four points – and could have kicked the Spanish top club out of the competition with a home win. Again the Salzburg team ran bravely, again there were some chances to take the lead (Mergim Berisha shot from the pole), but again the higher class supported themselves when it came down to it. Mario Hermoso (39th) and Yannick Carrasco (86th) make the decision on the Colchoneros side. “They had the necessary quality and experience,” summed up Salzburg coach Marsch anyway.
Well, the club has now truly gained enough experience in bursting the promotion dream, although the current youngster squad has only just experienced its true baptism of fire against Sevilla FC. Because the six-time Europa League (record) winner and second in the table in La Liga is in no way inferior to the aforementioned opponents in terms of class.
“The pressure is on Seville”
Nevertheless, Salzburg’s (injured) defense chief Maximilian Wöber thinks that the Andalusians have more to lose. “We’re still in a great starting position, a draw is enough. The pressure is clearly on Sevilla.” According to Wöber, the fact that the Bulls troop weakened nerves in the championship and missed two match points with the premier class bankruptcies in Wolfsburg and Lille does not change the mental starting position. “We said within the team and in every interview that we look from game to game. The expectation that Salzburg would have to make this historic ascent came more from the media. We try the best – and then just see what comes out in the end. “
In the event of a defeat, nothing could come of it – in other words: even the Europa League switch could be missed. From a Champions League dream to a nightmare, so to speak.