The fans got in on Monday, unusually early in the year Salzburg to see a first football highlight. Actually, the first days of the sports year in Austria are reserved for ski jumpers.
The gripping finale of the Four Hills Tournament In Bischofshofen, just 50 kilometers away, some people didn't miss out on the Red Bull Arena. Despite the prominent visit from… FC Bayern They followed Daniel Tschofenig's triumph via live stream on their cell phones.
There was one in the stadium at the end 6-0 win for the German record champions.
A false start for Salzburg's new one Coach Thomas Letschwhich, however, should not be overestimated.
Lots of failures
26.107 Fans had come, many of them very young. There was another treat for them at the end of the school holidays. “I’m most looking forward to Konrad Laimer. Or Harry Kane. Or…,” said a boy with sparkling eyes. Laimer and Kane were in the starting eleven for Bayern, who start the league spring on Saturday.
With the home team Letsch had to improvise on his debutas five potential regular players had to sit out sick. Including too New signing Karim Onisiwo.
The game was very one-sided from the first minute. Letsch relied on a 4-4-2 system, but his team hardly had any real access to the game. Dier after a corner (19th), Müller with a shot (24th) and Olise after a hit-and-miss mistake (29th) gave the guests a 3-0 half-time lead.
Lots of changes, three more goals
After the break there was a lot of exchange on both sides. That changed little about the game.
The strong Olise (48th), Kimmich (56th) and Asp-Jensen (76th) ensured the final score. Salzburg's young guard was motivated, but she wasn't able to score a consolation goal.
It starts in Linz
There weren't really many conclusions for Letsch to draw from his first game. He had to compensate for too many failures, the time of preparation was too early and the opponent was too strong. What could not be overlooked, however, was that above all There is a lack of quality in central defense.
After the totally messed up year of 2024, people in Salzburg certainly wished for a different start to the new year; after all, everything should be better in 2025.
But you don't want to overestimate the start either. Sports Director Rouven Schröder had already before the Bayern game and with a view to the first two competitive games against Real and Atletico Madrid Champions League said: “We won't give away the games, but you should still know who you're playing against. Not that it then says 'The first three games under Thomas Letsch…' and so on.”
January is used for (high-level) preparation, and then things really start in Februaryif that Cup quarterfinals at LASK and the start of the league is waiting. Schröder: “In February in Linz, that’s where it starts.”
Until then, however, there is still a lot to do in Salzburg.
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