The statement by Karlsruhe sporting director Oliver Kreuzer about the upcoming test match against Red Bull Salzburg caused misunderstandings between the Austrian league champions.
Karlsruher SC fans expressed great anger later in the week at a scheduled friendly against Red Bull Salzburg in Marabella on 20 January. The hard core of KSC fans spoke out vehemently against the test game. A circumstance that prompted Karlsruhe sporting director Oliver Kreuzer to make a statement.
“Obviously we broached this topic, but ultimately decided to do it for sporting reasons. Our agency was only able to place Salzburg as opponents for the date we wanted,” says Kreuzer, who was Salzburg’s sporting director between 2006 and 2007 .
“The entire time in Estepona is planned accordingly, so another date was not possible,” Kreuzer explained. “We know how critical red team building is in football, especially in the Karlsruhe fan scene. That’s why we would never play such a test match in Karlsruhe. Due to the great sporting added value with a test against a participant in the Europa League and the lack of alternatives other opponents want to make the match”.
Freund: “Don’t force anyone and have good alternatives”
Statements that perhaps smoothed things over in Karlsruhe, but caused misunderstandings in Salzburg. To the Salzburg news RBS sporting director Christoph Freund said: “The preliminary internal talks with the KSC have been positive. As a result, we were surprised by what Oliver Kreuzer had to say following the release of the match date.”
They are looking forward to facing interesting opponents such as Inter and Bayern, “but it is clear that we are not forcing anyone and that we have good alternatives.”
