"Krone" series

Salzburg conquers Europe – all beginnings were difficult

(Bild: Daniel Krug)

Starting signal for the new "Krone" series: 30 years ago, Austria Salzburg made Austrian soccer history by winning its first championship title and reaching the UEFA Cup final. A journey through history with the heroes from the 90s.

Every journey has an end. But the memory of it is everlasting. This is also the case with a Salzburg success story that is celebrating its 30th anniversary. Its impact continues to this day and its protagonists have become legends.

It was April 26, 1994, when 48,000 spectators made the pilgrimage to the Happel Stadium and, believe it or not, two million Austrians looked spellbound into their television boxes to keep their fingers crossed for eleven violet heroes. That Tuesday saw the first UEFA Cup final between Austria Salzburg, then known as "Casino Salzburg", and Inter Milan.

What is unimaginable today became reality back then: fans of all stripes kept their fingers crossed for the team from Mozart's city. "We were a close-knit bunch and not just friends on the pitch, but off it too," explains Hermann Stadler, one of the all-time greats of the Violets. Like many other protagonists from the past, the Oberndorfer went on a journey through time with the "Krone".

Cheers Otto, cheers Rudi: Austria legends Baric (left) and Quehenberger.

(Bild: ©KRUG Daniel)

30 years after the most successful season in Salzburg soccer history, we take another look back: to magical nights in the Lehener Stadion. To crazy ideas that turned out to be brilliant moves. To "Ösis" who became "Bösis". To spitting coaches, Frankfurter sausages, singing kickers and a new fashion color. But above all, to the heroic deeds of the "Stierwoscha", who took Europe by storm.

But all beginnings were difficult. Something that hardly anyone remembers today: The 93/94 season started anything but according to plan for Austria.

At the end of the season, captain Heribert Weber was allowed to lift the champion's plate - but all beginnings were difficult.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The start was bumpy - the heart slowed Baric down
Starting the season as runners-up, the mission was: First championship title! However, the Violets stumbled out of the starting blocks and found themselves in sixth place after five league rounds. To make matters worse, Salzburg had to do without coach Otto Baric for several weeks.

Due to heart problems, "Otto Maximale" was banned from his job for four weeks. "We weren't stable at all at the beginning. The start was really bumpy," recalls Heimo Pfeifenberger, who had to undergo tonsil surgery before the season and was (initially) far from his peak performance.

Salzburg's Heimo Pfeifenberger is taken into the Austria Vienna sandwich by Thomas Flögel (left) and Walter Kogler (right).

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

A home game against Steyr marked the low point for the time being. Although the home side triumphed 2:0 in Lehen, there was a concert of whistles. Pfeifenberger got into an argument with the spectators. "I can still remember it well," he laughs.

"While the fans in the stands were behind us, the people in the stands were always extremely critical. They were constantly pecking at Peter Artner, but also at me. That's when it got more emotional." The fact that he scored the 1:0 and put his team on the road to victory faded into the background. Especially as Baric's future in Salzburg was suddenly called into question.

Read part 2 of the series on Saturday:
Who was considered Baric's successor and why financial ruin loomed