Sports director Freund does not allow himself to be dissuaded: “This is Salzburg 100 percent”
Red Bull Salzburg is getting younger and younger. The starting squad who played 4-0 at Milan on Wednesday evening 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 do not want to be sidetracked from their path, even if the Milan youth teams have been shown limits.
“This is 100% Salzburg”
“Of course we are extremely young at the moment. You also have to learn a little, but it’s our way. This is Salzburg 100 percent,” stressed sporting director Christoph Freund. “We want to be a young, really good team that gives many young players the chance to be successful internationally.” Actors can therefore also be regularly sold for profit. However, they also bring the experiences they have had with them to their new, larger clubs.
New names will follow again next year. According to Freund, hiring a veteran to keep the team safe is not a problem. “It’s not our plan now.” Captain Andreas Ulmer, a veteran in Salzburg at the age of 37, is currently struggling to keep his regular post.
But it was a 36-year-old, Olivier Giroud, who made the decisive moves in Milan. The Milan striker has two goals and two assists. “He is also a world-class player,” said Freund. “There will also be games where you say: ‘Wow, the young ones prevailed'”.
Transfer to the Europa League
This is what Salzburg hopes for in the Europa League after leaving CL. There they failed after moving from the premier class in 2020 to Eintracht Frankfurt and in 2021 to Villarreal. Last year, in the round of 16 of the CL against Bayern Munich it was the end of the line. After a group stage, the Bulls survived a knockout round for the last time in an international competition in the 2019 Europa League against Club Brugge.
Much will depend on the draw on Monday (13:00). In the fight for the round of 16 there is a second classified in the Europa League group. “It is possible that we are facing an absolute leading team from Europe,” recalled Freund. “It’s an extremely attractive competition.” You can’t plan a successful run like in 2018 until the semifinals. “Our goal was to winter internationally and we have achieved it.” Although Chelsea’s support was needed in the 2-1 win against Dinamo Zagreb.
Freund drew a “very positive summary” of the CL group stage. With the exception of the second half in Milan, all the matches were very close. “We came out very well from each other. The young team did really well.” This means a lot, even for Salzburg’s business model to profitably sell emerging players.
