Salzburg pays “a bit of an apprenticeship” for young people
RB Salzburg pays tribute to Milan’s match winner Olivier Giroud (36). Austria’s champions were 21 years and 226 days old on average when they lost 4-0 to Milan. “That’s our way,” emphasizes sports director Christoph Freund.
Salzburg’s sports director Christoph Freund continues to rely on young people.
APA/EXPA/JFK
RB Salzburg is getting younger. The starting line-up that played 4-0 at AC Milan on Wednesday night was the second youngest in Champions League history, averaging 21 years and 226 days. Only Arsenal fielded an even younger eleven in December 2009 against Olympiakos Piraeus (0-1) at 21 years and 215 days. The Bulls don’t want to be swayed from their course – even if the youth in Milan were shown limits.
cl group stage – matchday 6
“Of course we’re extremely young at the moment. You also have to learn a little bit, but that’s our way. That’s 100 percent Salzburg,” emphasized sporting director Christoph Freund. “We want to be a young, really good squad that gives many young players the chance to be successful at international level.” The actors can then also be regularly sold for a profit. However, they also take the experiences they made with them to their new, larger clubs.
New names will also follow next year. According to Freund, hiring a veteran to give the team security is not an issue. “That’s not our plan now.” Captain Andreas Ulmer, a veteran in Salzburg at the age of 37, is currently struggling to keep his regular place.
However, it was a 36-year-old, namely Olivier Giroud, who made the decisive moves in Milan. The Milan striker has two goals and two assists. “He’s also a world-class player,” said Freund. “There will also be games again where you say: ‘Wow, the youth have prevailed.'”
Different experiences after switching
That’s what Salzburg are hoping for in the Europa League after the CL exit. There they failed after switching from the premier class in 2020 to Eintracht Frankfurt and in 2021 to Villarreal. Last year, in the CL round of 16 against Bayern Munich was the end of the line. After a group phase, the Bulls last survived a knockout round in an international competition in 2019 in the Europa League against Club Brugge.
Much will depend on Monday’s (1pm) release. A group runner-up from the Europa League is waiting in the fight for the round of 16. “It’s possible that we’re up against an absolute top team from Europe,” Freund recalled. “It’s an extremely attractive competition.” You can’t plan a successful run like in 2018 to the semifinals. “Our goal was to winter internationally, and we achieved that.” Even if Chelsea’s support in the form of a 2-1 win against Dinamo Zagreb was needed.
Freund drew a “very positive summary” of the CL group phase. With the exception of the final second half in Milan, all games were very close. “We got out of the affair very well. The young team did really well.” That means a lot – also for Salzburg’s business model of selling up-and-coming players profitably.
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