Autumn summary FC Red Bull Salzburg: Red Bulls feel breath from first pursuer SK Sturm Graz – Bundesliga
Of the FC Red Bull Salzburgonly remaining Austrian club in the Europacup (Europa League Ko-Playoff vs. AS Roma), hibernates – once again – as the front runner of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga. But even if the series champion has a comfortable 6 point lead over the first pursuer SK Sturm Graz the Red Bulls feel the Styrians, who remained undefeated against the double title defender in the autumn (2-1, 0-0) and will be playing against the Jaissle-Elf five times this season. Right at the start of the New Year in the ÖFB Cup quarter-finals (Fri., February 3rd, 8:45 p.m.) Based on a Fall Summary about the autumn master.
That didn’t go on any bull skin. FC Red Bull Salzburg again proved their quality and mentality, especially “from behind”, as here when celebrating after the last-minute equalizer by central defender Oumar Solet in the 1-1 against LASK. It was a home draw series for the Jaissle-Elf from mid-September to mid-October against SK Rapid, LASK (each 1-1) and SK Sturm Graz (0-0), where the “home bus der Invincibility” was on the brink. For the spring, the Red Bulls are the only ones of all 12 BL clubs to have “three weddings” with the UEFA Europa League, ADMIRAL Bundesliga and ÖFB Cup.
After an earlier, only defeat of the season, Bullen stayed on course, undeterred
For 34 (!) league games, FC Red Bull Salzburg has been undefeated in all seasons in their home Red Bull Arena (W28, D6). The last defeat in Wals-Siezenheim was around 2 years ago: on December 20, 2020 with 2:3 against WAC. In the current season, the “nimbus of invincibility” was preserved with 5 home wins and 3 draws (all three in a row against SK Rapid, LASK and Sturm Graz), but came into serious danger twice.
Against the direct pursuers SK Sturm Graz (0:0) and LASK (1:1). On October 22, 2022, the Styrians scored the better goal chances with the zero number, followed by LASK on October 1 until the 5th minute of injury time by Marin Ljubičić 1-0, before the 20-year-old Croatian suffered a serious defensive faux pas followed, which Oumar Solet consistently punished for the “last-minute equalizer” for the Red Bulls.
Otherwise things got a little tighter this fall for the series champions from the city of Mozart, who were again in upheaval in the summer and affected by staff turnover, with the departures of last year’s league top scorer Karim Adeyemi, offensive player Brenden Aaronson, midfield organizer Mohamed Camara , veteran Zlatko Junuzović (end of career), crowd favorite Rasmus Kristensen and central defender Jérôme Onguéné once again had a bloodletting.
But Salzburg again managed to compensate for the gaps and improve on certain points. In his second season on the RBS command bridge, young trainer Matthias Jaissle quickly formed a powerful squad, and the integration process of the newcomers went in no time. The first away game at well-rehearsed runner-up SK Sturm Graz came too early. The 1:2 was an early, but the only defeat of the season in the fall.
The Red Bulls remained unimpressed in the top game against the runners-up from Styria. Goalscorer Okafor & Co. turned up the heat in the 6-0 thrashing in the Ländle against newly promoted Austria Lustenau.
In the end there were 11 wins and 3 draws from the 14 games after the defeat in Graz. Including the maximum with 21 points away! Only at home did the successful Red Bulls have to be content with a total of 5 wins and 3 draws. Consecutively between mid-September and October.
Concentrated passion & tension: Matthias Jaissle, who is also successful in his second year as coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg (points average of 2.31 in 72 compulsory games). The 34-year-old German has long since passed his final exams as a head coach – especially on the international stage – and remains hungry for success with the Red Bulls in order to want to defend the double.
RBS in 1st place from round 7
It was definitely made more difficult for the Jaissle-Elf, opponents like Sturm Graz and LASK acted courageously against Salzburg, who took the lead in round 7 and after the 2-0 home win against WSG Tirol and have not given up since then to spend the winter in the “place in the sun” – as in the previous year. But compared to 2021/22, when the champion was always in first place from round 1 to 32, this was “only” 11 times out of 16 rounds today in the autumn. Whereby 39 points from 16 rounds (with 33:9 goals) are again a great balance this time. As at the same time in the previous year (then with 35:11 goals, the same difference = +24). In the 2020/2021 season: 37 points (50:16 goals).
A 6-point lead over second SK Sturm Graz may be a cushion, but not a cushion. Especially since the points are shared after the regular season and the “Blackies” may have presented themselves as equals to the Red Bulls in the autumn. Always in direct duels. And the showdown between champions and runners-up is becoming a long-running issue. A total of 5x with the two games in the master group and before that at the start of the year in the Uniqa ÖFB Cup quarter-finals (Friday, February 3, 2023, 8:45 p.m., Red Bull Arena).
“Hot February” with knockout games vs. Sturm Graz & AS Roma
The start of the competitive game gave captain Andreas Ulmer & Co. a “hot February”. First the anticipated final in the ÖFB Cup against Sturm, then in the Europa League the intermediate round duel against José Mourinhos AS Roma (Thursday, February 16th, at home – Thursday, February 23rd in Rome). It was also exciting, in terms of personnel, in the Bulls’ camp during the winter transfer period from 07.01. – 06.02.2023 (Austria; Germany, England and Italy: 01.01. – 31.01.2023) will happen.
Especially after – again – Salzburg players aroused desires in autumn, especially after convincing performances in the Champions League. First and foremost was keeper Philipp Köhn, who stood out for his consistent performances, and Swiss striker Noah Okafor.
Proved to be a hit and desired reinforcement in the season-opening weeks: the 23-year-old Brazilian ball magician Fernando. 4 goals and 4 assists in the first 8 BL rounds are a top rate. But then the striker from Belo Horizonte suffered a muscle injury during the away game in Ried on September 10th, which the Salzburg summer signing suffered from until the winter break. It’s not just the Red Bulls who can look forward to his comeback.
Fernando & Pavlovic play themselves in the hearts of Salzburg fans
Let’s move on to the summer additions. The Brazilian ball magician Fernando was present right away and the hoped-for reinforcement. Unfortunately, the 23-year-old forward injured himself after 8 rounds and has been kicking out ever since. After both central defenders Maximilian Wöber (warming up) and Oumar Solet (during the game) were injured in the Champions League opening match vs. AC Milan (1:1), the chance came for Strahinja Pavlovic.
The 21-year-old Serbian World Cup participant grabbed her by the hair and the “mentality monster” mutated into the legitimate successor to Rasmus Kristensen, who had moved to England to ex-Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch (Leeds United), as a crowd favourite. Also the 19-year-old Frenchman Lucas Gourna-Douath sure to convince. The defensive, central midfielder missed the opening weeks of the season due to a ligament injury and also missed the last two rounds before the winter break with an ankle injury.
Returnees became regulars right away Amar Dedic (after loan to WAC). The 20-year-old Bosnian team player (born in Zell am See) closed Rasmus Kristensen’s gap in the back four at right-back with consistent, solid performances (22 competitive appearances).
Once again, a talent from cooperation partner FC Liefering made it into the Salzburg professional squad: Dijon Camera. The 18-year-old central midfielder with roots in Kosovo proved to be a “promise for the future”, but was stopped abruptly in mid-September by a shoulder injury and missed the final game in Klagenfurt due to illness.
Meanwhile, there are signs of a changing of the guard at the left-back position, where Andreas Ulmer (photo) has been a practical part of FC Red Bull Salzburg for 13 years (!) and is a model of reliability and professionalism. The now 37-year-old captain is and remains a phenomenon, but he’s not getting any younger. A process of change is also gradually emerging for him in the extremely young Jaissle team (the youngest in the Champions League in autumn), the previous central defender Maximilian Wöber was repeatedly used instead of the native of Linz on the left.
Red Bulls “dance” only on “3 Weddings”
In conclusion: Winning the 10th championship title in a row and defending the double will not be a “made-up Oktoberfest” for the Red Bulls. The series champion, who was used to success and hungry for success, had a hard time against the first pursuers SK Sturm Graz and LASK in the autumn. An exciting spring awaits FC Red Bull Salzburg.
What else will happen in terms of personnel in winter in terms of possible departures and newcomers? In addition, captain Andreas Ulmer & Co. only dance at 3 weddings out of all 12 BL clubs. But the knockout duels in the Europa League against José Mourinho’s AS Roma and before that in the national ÖFB Cup quarterfinals against SK Sturm Graz – almost an anticipated final – have it all. And in the league, Austria’s football flagship seems to be in even greater demand this time than in previous years.
Only a trio always there – Captain Ulmer repeated from the bench
Remaining program basic round: SC Austria Lustenau (H), WSG Tirol (A), SV Guntamatic Ried (H), SK Rapid Vienna (A), LASK (A), SCR Altach (H):
Players used: 26 Calls: Kjærgaard, Köhn, Šeško (16 each), Seiwald & Wöber (15 each), Okafor (14), Junior Adamu (13), Dedić & Sučić (12 each), Pavlović (11), Bernardo, Capaldo, Solet, Ulmer ( 10 each), Šimić (9), Fernando & Gourna-Douath (8 each), Diarra (7), Kameri, Koita, Van der Brempt (6 each), Diambou (4), Agyekum & Piatkowski (3 each), Bernéde (2), Baidoo (1).
Most substitutions: Junior Adamu (7), Okafor, Šimić, Ulmer (6 each), Diarra & Koita (5 each), Diambou, Kjærgaard, Šeško (4 each).
Crack: 33 Goalscorers (12): Junior Adamu & Okafor (7 each), Šeško (5), Fernando (4), Capaldo & Kjærgaard (2 each), Diarra, Kameri, Koita, Pavlović, Solet, Wöber (1 each).
Red card: Junior Adamu (1). Yellow-red cards (2): Pavlović & Diambou (1 each). Yellow cards (31): Dedić (4), Solet & Sučić (3 each), Pavlović, Šimić, Wöber (2 each), Junior Adamu, Agyekum, Bernardo, Capaldo, Diambou, Diarra, Gourna-Douath, Kjærgaard, Köhn, Okafor, Seiwald, Šeško, Ulmer (1 each).
Summer New Arrivals (9): Baidoo, Dedic, Diarra, Fernando, Gourna-Douath, Kameri, Mensah, Omoregie, Pavlovic.
Departures (9): Aaronson, Adeyemi, Camara, Forson, Junuzovic, Kristensen, Mensah, Onguéné, Vallci.
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Photo credit: FC Red Bull Salzburg via Getty