“We want to compete with the best and like last year we want to annoy the big ones”
© Sports report
Guest on the Sky Sport Austria Podcast DAB | The audio proof was Maximilian Wöber, FC Red Bull Salzburg and Sky expert Alfred Tatar.
All voices to “DAB | The Audio Proof”
Maximilian Woeber (FC Red Bull Salzburg):
…about the 3-0 win in the second round of the ÖFB Cup against regional league club Union Gurten: “The first half in particular wasn’t very satisfactory. It was all very sluggish, very sluggish, a lot of our own mistakes and we could even have fallen behind. It’s just not our claim, how we performed yesterday. But in the second half we managed to pull it off with confidence.”
…asked about the discussions about his ‘ideal’ position as a central defender or left-back: “Sometimes the discussion annoys me because you play where the coach puts you up and you don’t always have to make a big secret of it. I enjoy both positions. But based on my physical structure alone, I can definitely be more dominant in the central defender position.”
…more on this topic: “Looking ahead, it is important for me that I keep playing games on the outside because I got the chance there under Mr. Rangnick. Of course, I would like to play my way there too. But for the course of my career, I think that the central defender position will definitely dominate.”
…on the question of whether there are already agreements with team boss Ralf Rangnick that he WILL continue to be used as a left-back in the ÖFB team: “I think I presented myself very well in the last three games in the Nations League back left and did a decent job. In the league, too, I think I played very solidly. But as Mr. Rangnick said: Firstly, you have to play in a club to be there and secondly, the team is not carved in stone. If I’m there again, I’d like to show my skills in training and of course I hope that I can just play my way there.”
…about teammate Andreas Ulmer: “Andi is still among the top 3 fittest players on the team. When you see him in the shower, you don’t think he’s about forty. It is an absolute full machine. Under has shown for a decade or more that he can play at the top level year after year. It will not drop so significantly overnight. Under him he proves every day in training and now also in the games that he can be an extremely important player for us on the left back.”
…on the Salzburg Champions League group: “The group is really cool. We were all happy to meet new top teams again and not have Bayern again.”
…on to the Champions League: “We want to measure ourselves against the best and annoy the big ones again, like last year.”
…about the goal in the European Cup season: “Our goal is always to spend the winter internationally. It would be presumptuous to say it has to be in the Champions League again. We have two overpowering opponents in the group again. It would be cheeky to expect second place.”
…about the expectations from the outside: “I think that last year we somehow put the whole of Austrian football in euphoria with our performances and our promotion. But I think it will be a bit more difficult this year.”
…asked about Salzburg’s performances so far this season: “I think we’ve come a long way tactically, but in a way we weren’t quite as relaxed. We played a lot in the last third, but then very often just lost the ball and made wrong decisions. But in recent years it has always been the case that it has been much more difficult for us to reach the top level in the league than against the top opponents. Even if you can’t believe it, you simply have more time, more space, and you can switch much better than against opponents who defend with man and mouse at the back and only one , want to put two pinpricks. Not expected against Milan and Chelsea. If we manage to reach our top level there, then we have safe opportunities and can strike ice cold.”
…to the question of how difficult it is to focus on the upcoming game against WSG Tirol before the duel against Milan: “We are used to it by now. Liga is everyday life and we simply have to perform. Our focus is clearly on Tyrol, we haven’t said a word about Milan yet. Complete the mandatory tasks once and then the whole focus of the Champions League applies.”
…about the WSG: “The WSG is like a lucky bag. Sometimes they play incredible football and sometimes it’s a little bit worse.”
…about his further career plans: “Of course, going abroad is appealing in some way, but I made a very conscious decision for myself in the summer that I would extend my stay at Salzburg because I really found joy and fun in football here again, blossomed again and have also grown into an absolute leader in the team and in the club.”
…about Manchester United, his former Ajax coach Erik Ten Hag and when asked about possible transfer requests: “Since Manchester United is my absolute dream club, I would definitely say yes, but it won’t play that. There was no contact.”
Alfred Tatar (sky expert):
…about the Salzburg team: “Salzburg lives of course from all the class people. But the team is the most important thing and these great people then have to fit into a team concept, which happens. The way it is delivered is very neat and actually outstanding for Austrian demands.”
…on Salzburg’s chances in their Champions League group: “I think the duel against Milan is very promising. They think very offensively, especially with the full-backs, and often only have backup with a central midfielder. Salzburg have to push into these spaces and counterattack when they win the ball quickly.”
…on to Salzburg’s chances: “The duel against Chelsea is even more promising because they are a smaller number than Milan. As of now, I would favor Salzburg against Chelsea. The big unknown then is Dinamo, with promising individual players. But it won’t be enough against Salzburg. You will lose against Salzburg once and draw once.”
…with his target assessment for Salzburg: “Bottom line: Second place is the minimum goal.”
…on the future of Maximilian Wöber: “Even the Premier League, which is called the largest league in the world, is open to his services.”
DAB | The audio proof is the football and sports podcast from Sky Sport Austria. Here, commentator Otto Rosenauer discusses with presenter Martin Konrad, Sky experts and guests about the Tipico Bundesliga, the ÖFB team, Austria’s legionnaires and international football, such as the German Bundesliga, the Premier League, the UEFA Europa League and the UEFA Champions League.
The latest episode is now freely available on skysportaustria.at/podcasts/dab-der-audiobeweis/ as well as on the well-known platforms Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, FYEO and Deezer
Media info Sky Austria
08/31/2022