Bundesliga in the ticker

RB Salzburg vs SCR Altach – LIVE from 5pm

Salzburg are up against Altach today.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Matchday 10 in the Austrian Bundesliga. Red Bull Salzburg will host SCR Altach. We will be reporting live from 5pm - see ticker below.

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The past few weeks have been turbulent for dethroned champions Salzburg. Coach Pepijn Lijnders and sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner have had to put up with a lot of criticism after the setbacks in the Champions League and league, and the international break was used for several internal meetings within the club to discuss the situation. On Thursday, two days before Saturday's home game against Altach, both faced the press. They want to "get back into this positive flow", emphasized Seonbuchner.

The sporting director reported on "intensive exchanges" in several rounds of talks, underpinned by "self-criticism". "What happened from the first phase of the season to the second?" was the leitmotif and answers were found. "A few things came together," said Seonbuchner, without being more specific. He described the performances before the international break, especially the recent 5-0 defeat to Sturm Graz, as "unacceptable".

Salzburg sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner

(Bild: Kronen Zeitung)

"There must also be room for mistakes"
Despite all the criticism ("Who thinks that's great?"), he still feels very comfortable in his own skin, said Seonbuchner. "After a week like this, almost every criticism is justified. But I really enjoy having this responsibility," said the successor to the highly successful Christoph Freund. One thing is still clear given the youth of the team. "There must also be room for mistakes."

Lijnders also referred to the low average age of the squad in his public analysis. "The most difficult thing for young players is to deal with these setbacks," he said, looking back on the 3-0 defeat to Sparta Prague and the 4-0 loss to Stade Brest in the Champions League. "We went into the game against Sturm Graz with these feelings. I knew that if it didn't go well, it would be really difficult if we conceded a goal. And you saw that."

Salzburg coach Pepijn Lijnders

(Bild: AFP or licensors)

Goalkeeper issue in Salzburg unresolved
The issue surrounding Leipzig loanee Jannis Blaswich, who not only became the first-choice goalkeeper but also captain following the injury to goalkeeper Alexander Schlager in the summer, is still on everyone's minds. "Everyone knows that experience helps in this team. That's why we opted for an experienced player," explained Lijnders. "That was absolutely the right decision. The year before was not an easy one for Salzburg, we wanted someone new and unencumbered."

"It's about respect," Seonbuchner clarified, referring to the fierce hostility towards Blaswich from parts of the home crowd after the Brest debacle. "The team showed a reaction immediately after the game and stood by their captain. But we want to talk to the fans so that there is a united front," said Seonbuchner. That's why the team also sought talks with the organized supporters during the international break.

System remains
Lijnders left open whether the recovered Schlager could also make a comeback in the league after his return in the ÖFB kit against Kazakhstan. He called for a return to the basics against Altach. "We have to defend much better together, find cohesion. The best games were the ones where we defended with everything we had," said the 41-year-old, who has two important players back at his disposal in Maurits Kjaergaard and Aleksa Terzic. Lijnders does not want to move away from the 4-3-3 system. "I believe in our idea. The high pressing has brought us many good moments. That's why we continue to believe in it. Changing systems brings instability."

Lijnders was delighted with a completely different development during the international break. Last week, Red Bull appointed Jürgen Klopp, his mentor and long-time boss at Liverpool, as their Head of Global Soccer. "Red Bull, our sponsor, has gained an icon. He is the face of intensity, but also of humanity. I'm really proud that Red Bull has got such a class person," said Lijnders.