Bitter 0:5 in the CL

Salzburg “speechless”: apology after debacle

Hanging heads with the Salzburgers

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

It was one of the weakest performances Red Bull Salzburg have put in in recent years. Austria's former serial champions lacked almost everything that had once characterized them in their 5-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday. After the defeat, there was an apology to sponsors and fans.

For the first time since the summer of 2014, the club has lost three competitive matches in a row. Coach Pepijn Lijnders continues to believe in his battered team. After the debacle, the club's managers searched in vain for answers.

Pep Lijnders

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

I know how soccer works," emphasized Lijnders, whom managing director Stephan Reiter and sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner have recently expressed their confidence in several times. "You have to win the next game. And we have to win the next game." It takes place on Saturday (5 p.m./live in the sportkrone.at ticker) in Hartberg. Lijnders emphasized that they knew they could lose in Leverkusen. "But not reaching our level is difficult for the mind. We have to see that it's not good enough."

In fact, the Bulls were inferior to the German champions in every respect. "We played into their hands - with the way we moved the ball and ourselves, how we made simple misplaced passes and how we simply dropped back in our pressing," analyzed Lijnders. There was no sign of a rebellion. Leverkusen were unstoppable once the team had gathered momentum, emphasized Lijnders. "I knew we had to survive the first 15 minutes. We didn't do that."

Salzburg went down in Leverkusen.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Lijnders misses consistency
The Dutchman criticized the controversial handball penalty for 0:1: "But that's not the reason why we lost. We would have lost anyway." Salzburg were simply too far away from star coach Xabi Alonso's team for that. "They gave us a good example of where we need to improve in all areas of the game," said Lijnders. "We all make mistakes, that's for sure. But I still believe in the lads and that we can achieve something this season."

A handball penalty put Salzburg on the losing track.

(Bild: AFP/APA/INA FASSBENDER, Sky)

In the league, however, Salzburg are already 14 points behind defending champions Sturm Graz with two games to go. In the Champions League, promotion would border on a minor miracle with the remaining program of Paris Saint-Germain (10 December/home), Real Madrid (22 January/away) and Atletico Madrid (29 January/home). For the first time in the club's history, four of the first five matches of the season in the top flight were lost - and all of them by zero points.

Lijnders identified consistency as the missing ingredient for success. "If you want to win titles and start winning streaks, you have to be consistent at your level - in every moment of the game," explained the 41-year-old. A remedy could come in the form of more experienced "anchor players", as Reiter announced at the beginning of the month, in the winter. "We have to do the right thing in every transfer window," emphasized Lijnders. "I was very clear in the summer what I think. My opinion hasn't changed since then."

Head of sport Seonbuchner in charge
Seonbuchner is primarily responsible for the squad, which is particularly young this season. "We always talk about a process. In a process, it's still important to experience success," said the Bavarian in the Sky interview when asked about possible personnel consequences. "We have more setbacks than successes, which is why it's okay to ask questions shortly after the game." However, there are no answers yet on match day.

Bernhard Seonbuchner

(Bild: 2023 FC Red Bull Salzburg)

You can lose against the German champions, a proven top team. "But it's about the manner," Seonbuchner recognized. "That's what's leaving us all a little speechless right now." This was followed by an apology to sponsors and fans. "For the disappointment we caused them with this performance." The serious knee injury to Karim Konate, for whom everything pointed to a cruciate ligament rupture, also played a part in all of this. Lijnders: "I don't know what I'm more upset about." His team's performance or the fact that his top striker will probably be out for months.