Last victory in 2014

Salzburg’s failure a curse and a blessing for Austria

Wiener Austria has to play in Salzburg today.(Bild: GEPA)

Vienna's Austria make their next attempt in the city of Mozart today. Salzburg have been without a "three-pointer" for 3660 days. The current failure of the runners-up is a blessing and a curse for Austria.

"Really, wow! Has it really been that long?" Markus Suttner was also surprised. The ex-Austrian was the last captain to leave the pitch victorious with Violett in Salzburg. It's been a long time, the numbers speak volumes. The Violets' negative run has now lasted ten (!) years ...

It's hard to believe, but the last "three-pointer" in the city of Mozart was celebrated by Austria on September 21, 2014. Gerald Baumgartner was on the bench, Marco Meilinger, David de Paula and Omer Damari scored the visitors to a 3:2 victory. Of course, not a single player from that squad is still in the current squad.

After that, they lost 26 times in 36 matches. "We always played differently against Salzburg. You often can't play the ball that invites them to press. That's why we avoided passing to our six-man as much as possible. You have to follow a clear match plan, pull together, make them run, play dirty and clever," says "Sutti". But he also knows: "They have enormous quality and therefore go into the dressing room as winners even when their performance is poor."

However, after Storm's championship win, the Bulls made themselves vulnerable again in the league, where Lijnders' team picked up just one point in their last two games. They also lost 3-0 to Sparta Prague in their Champions League opener. "They haven't really got going yet, which is no disadvantage. But Salzburg's run of failure could also be a real threat to Austria right now. If they play themselves into a frenzy before the second game in the 'premier class', you have almost no chance."

Markus Suttner (right) is an expert in sports insurance.(Bild: z.V.g.)

"Worth its weight in gold for professionals"
 While Suttner worked in Austria's marketing and sales team after his career, the 37-year-old now works as a sports insurance expert at Safe 11. "For professionals, very good insurance is worth its weight in gold."