A guide to Red Bull Salzburg
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Bohemians will face Red Bull Salzburg in the second qualifying round of the Champions League and the Austrian club have a peculiar recent history, which includes name changes, a breakaway club and ambitious goals to become a European superpower. Alan Smith learns more…
Salzburg in north Austria has a population of about 150,000 and Red Bull’s stadium, Stadion Wals-Siezenheim is big enough to host a fifth of the city’s population, with a 31000 capacity. It was chosen as a host city for the 2008 European Championships which were shared between the Austrians and neighbouring Switzerland.
SV Austria Salzburg was founded in 1933, but up until the 90’s the club was largely unsuccessful. Their first title came in 1994, while another two titles followed in 95 and 97. Their greatest moment was reaching the 1994 UEFA Cup Final, losing out 2-0 on aggregate to Inter Milan.
The following year brought more success on the continental stage, as they reached the group stages of the Champions League. Group D contained Milan and Ajax, and those two ended up facing each other in the final. Salzburg drew with Ajax both at home and away and pushed Milan all the way to Matchday six to decide who went through to the quarter-final. Needless to say, it was the Italian’s who pipped them to the post with a 1-0 win in Austria on the final night.
Red Bull turned the club into a franchise when they bought the club in April 2005 and they even made an effort, to the disgust of the fans and the Austrian FA, to state that the club was only founded in ’05. The brand even changed the crest and club colours in an attempt to start the club as new.
Management and staff were changed as the fans became more and more disillusioned, leading to the creation of a club in the echelons of Austrian football, called... SV Austria Salzburg. They’ve been promoted three times in a row now and are currently in the Austrian fourth tier. They play in violet and white, the original club colours and still use the old club’s emblem which has 1933 stitched on to signify the clubs establishment.
However, despite the fans movement gathering pace, Red Bull have gone from strength to strength. Current Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni came in as coach in 2006 and they added a league title in 2007, winning with five games to spare. Another title was added in 2009 and current manager Co Adriaanse has a steady group of players which will mean Bohemians will really find it tough. Former German international, Alexander Zickler is in the ranks and Pat Fenlon will be keen to have a look at other players such as promising defender Ronald Gercaliu.
Salzburg in north Austria has a population of about 150,000 and Red Bull’s stadium, Stadion Wals-Siezenheim is big enough to host a fifth of the city’s population, with a 31000 capacity. It was chosen as a host city for the 2008 European Championships which were shared between the Austrians and neighbouring Switzerland.
SV Austria Salzburg was founded in 1933, but up until the 90’s the club was largely unsuccessful. Their first title came in 1994, while another two titles followed in 95 and 97. Their greatest moment was reaching the 1994 UEFA Cup Final, losing out 2-0 on aggregate to Inter Milan.
The following year brought more success on the continental stage, as they reached the group stages of the Champions League. Group D contained Milan and Ajax, and those two ended up facing each other in the final. Salzburg drew with Ajax both at home and away and pushed Milan all the way to Matchday six to decide who went through to the quarter-final. Needless to say, it was the Italian’s who pipped them to the post with a 1-0 win in Austria on the final night.
Red Bull turned the club into a franchise when they bought the club in April 2005 and they even made an effort, to the disgust of the fans and the Austrian FA, to state that the club was only founded in ’05. The brand even changed the crest and club colours in an attempt to start the club as new.
Management and staff were changed as the fans became more and more disillusioned, leading to the creation of a club in the echelons of Austrian football, called... SV Austria Salzburg. They’ve been promoted three times in a row now and are currently in the Austrian fourth tier. They play in violet and white, the original club colours and still use the old club’s emblem which has 1933 stitched on to signify the clubs establishment.
However, despite the fans movement gathering pace, Red Bull have gone from strength to strength. Current Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni came in as coach in 2006 and they added a league title in 2007, winning with five games to spare. Another title was added in 2009 and current manager Co Adriaanse has a steady group of players which will mean Bohemians will really find it tough. Former German international, Alexander Zickler is in the ranks and Pat Fenlon will be keen to have a look at other players such as promising defender Ronald Gercaliu.
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile