Lijnders: “I still believe in the boys”

It was one of the weakest performances that RB Salzburg has shown in recent years. Austria’s former series champion missed almost everything that had once distinguished him in the 5-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. For the first time since the summer of 2014, they lost three competitive games in a row. Coach Pepijn Lijnders continues to believe in his battered team. After the debacle, club officials initially searched in vain for answers.

“I know how football works,” emphasized Lijnders, in whom managing director Stephan Reiter and sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner have recently expressed their confidence several times. “You have to win the next game. And we have to win the next game.” It takes place on Saturday in Hartberg. Lijnders emphasized that they knew that they could lose in Leverkusen. “But not reaching our level is difficult for the head. We have to see that that’s not good enough.”

In fact, the Bulls were inferior to the German champions in all respects. “We played into their hands – with the way we moved the ball and ourselves, how we made simple bad passes and how we simply went back in our pressing,” analyzed Lijnders. There was no apparent rebellion. Leverkusen could no longer be stopped once the team had gained momentum, emphasized Lijnders. “I knew we had to survive the first 15 minutes. We didn’t.”

The Dutchman criticized the controversial Hands penalty that made it 0-1. “But that’s not why we lost. We would have lost anyway.” Salzburg were simply too far away from star coach Xabi Alonso’s team for that. “You gave us a good example of where we need to improve in all areas of the game,” said Lijnders. “We all make mistakes, that’s for sure. But I still believe in the boys and that we can achieve something this season.”

Worst start than ever before

In the league, Salzburg are already 14 points behind defending champions Sturm Graz after playing two games less. In the Champions League, promotion with the remaining program of Paris Saint-Germain (December 10th/home), Real Madrid (January 22nd/away) and Atletico Madrid (January 29th/home) would border on a small miracle. For the first time in the club’s history, four of the first five games of the season in the premier class were lost – all of them to zero.

Lijnders identified consistency as the missing ingredient for success. “If you want to win titles and start winning streaks, you have to be consistently at your level – in every moment of the game,” explained the 41-year-old. A solution could come in the form of more experienced “anchor players”, as Reiter announced at the beginning of the month, in the winter. “We have to do the right thing in every transfer window,” emphasized Lijnders. “I was very clear in the summer about what I thought. My opinion hasn’t changed since then.”

Seonbuchner is primarily responsible for the squad, which is particularly young this season. “We always talk about a process. In a process it is still important that you gain experiences of success,” said the Bavarian in the Sky interview when asked about possible personnel consequences. “We have more setbacks than successes, which is why we are allowed to ask questions shortly after the game.” But you don’t have to have answers to them on game day.

You could lose against the German champions, a proven top team. “But it’s about the manner,” Seonbuchner recognized. “That’s what’s leaving us all a little speechless right now.” An apology to sponsors and fans followed. “For the disappointment we caused them with this performance.” Karim Konaté’s serious knee injury, which everything pointed to a torn cruciate ligament, was also a factor in all of this. Lijnders: “I don’t know what I’m more upset about.” The introduction of his team, or the absence of his top striker for months.