CL rebuff in Prague

Salzburg: No Austrian is no glory

Pep Lijnders (right) did without Austrians in the starting eleven.(Bild: GEPA)

So now it has happened. For the first time under the leadership of head coach Pep Lijnders, Salzburg's 3-0 defeat at Czech double winners Sparta Prague at the start of the league phase of the premier class did not feature a single Austrian in the starting eleven. 

This is not entirely new. Back in 2008, under Giovanni Trapattoni, the team from Mozart's city occasionally used Austro-Power, and Matthias Jaissle, who now works for the Sheikhs, also preferred to bench the few ÖFB players in the Bulls' ranks in a 2021 league match against Klagenfurt.

Salzburg had no chance in Prague.(Bild: GEPA)

It didn't really come as a surprise this time, in fact it was only a matter of time. With Sammy Baidoo, who has been the red-white-red spearhead in the Mozartstädter camp so far and had previously started every competitive match, and substitute goalkeeper Alex Schlager, only two players eligible for Austria's national team are still part of the regular squad.

"It's always about performance"
"In the end, it's always about performance. We are internationally oriented, Salzburg stands for the development of the most talented boys," said sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner in an interview with "Krone" just a few days ago. That is Salzburg's right. However, it is not a glorious one.