Champions League:

Real Madrid v Salzburg – LIVE from 9pm

Salzburg visit Vinicius Junior and Co.

(Bild: AFP/APA/Thomas COEX/Michal Cizek)

Seventh matchday in the Champions League group stage. Real Madrid host Salzburg, we'll be reporting live from 9pm - see ticker below. 

Here is the live ticker:

Red Bull Salzburg break new ground. For the first time in the club's history, Salzburg will be playing at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. The Champions League match at defending champions Real Madrid will be the baptism of fire for new coach Thomas Letsch. Expectations are deliberately kept low after a disastrous fall. "There are few tasks that could be more difficult," said Letsch. "But there are also few more appealing."

Thomas Letsch

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Favorites Real urgently need points to avoid the risk of missing out on the knockout phase for the first time in CL history. Nevertheless, the Bulls want to sell themselves as best they can in front of 4,500 fans in the newly renovated Bernabeu. "We can't be left in awe," emphasized Letsch ahead of his Champions League debut. "It's an absolute highlight, but we can't approach the game differently just because it's Real Madrid. We will try to be courageous in phases, that's the key."

While Salzburg are coming off the back of a short preparation with defeats against Bayern Munich (0:6) and Midtjylland (2:3), Madrid are fully in the rhythm of the game with just one defeat from their last eleven competitive matches. "We have a few disadvantages compared to Real. We can cite many reasons why the division of roles is so clear. But that would be half excuses," said Letsch, who warned of the defending champions' speed when it comes to switching gears.

Blaswich in goal, the match against Atletico
The quality of the attacking trio of Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior is probably second to none. Janis Blaswich has the honor of facing them in goal. ÖFB team goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, who missed most of the preparation with a flu-like infection, will get his chance next Wednesday at home against Atletico Madrid, Letsch revealed. "After that, there will be a clear number 1 who will play the rest of the season." Due to Schlager's illness, however, this "duel" has never taken place.

Alexander Schlager

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The open goalkeeper question also affects the captaincy. In Madrid, Blaswich will lead the team onto the pitch. Should Schlager become number one afterwards, he would also be a candidate. "These are not preparation matches," said Letsch about the duels with Real and Atletico. But they also want to "orientate" themselves once again in terms of hierarchy. Amar Dedic, Kamil Piatkowski, Samson Baidoo and Aleksa Terzic are likely to form the back four in the 4-4-2 system. Neo-striker Karim Onisiwo is not eligible to play in the Champions League.

Under Pepijn Lijnders, Salzburg's only defeat in the top flight was against Feyenoord Rotterdam (3:1). The five other games in the new league phase were all lost to zero. Their chances of promotion are now only theoretical with two games to go. In terms of minutes played, however, Salzburg were also by far the youngest team in the Champions League in the fall with an average age of 22.9 - ahead of league rivals Sturm Graz (23.8).

Information for transfer activity
Salzburg have lost four of their last eight competitive matches and won just two. Sporting Director Rouven Schröder emphasized the confidence in the team, but also spoke of a "very, very important trip" to Madrid. "We still have some transfer time left. It's another important milestone for us in our analysis to see how far we've come, what we can add to the squad or perhaps even bring in with a departure."

New players can still be signed until February 6 before the start of the Bundesliga spring. "Something could still happen. It is also our goal to present something," said Schröder. But he does not feel compelled to do so. There are also economic conditions. "We are not set up in such a way that we can transfer at will." Only if it fits from a sporting and budgetary point of view will we make a move. Schröder: "We always want to get better. That's why it's clear that we don't have the cell phone on silent, but on."

A new central defender is said to be at the top of the list. However, Salzburg's new head of sport denied the rumored rejection of several established players - the media spoke of ÖFB team players Maximilian Wöber and Gernot Trauner, for example. The focus is on Real Madrid. "Anyone who doesn't have goosebumps has done something wrong," said Schröder. "It's a final stage, but that also means it's an absolute responsibility to represent the club with dignity. It's all about attitude. We have to be nasty, biting and not take any shortcuts."

Little to gain for ÖFB clubs so far
The two teams will meet again at the Club World Cup next summer on June 26 in Philadelphia. The last time an Austrian club crossed swords with Real was in the fall of 1998. Sturm Graz were beaten 1:6 in Madrid and 1:5 at home in the CL group stage. The only defeat to date in twelve European Cup home games against ÖFB representatives was suffered by the "royals" on October 21, 1970 in the round of 16 of the Cup Winners' Cup against Wacker Innsbruck (0:1), but the correction was made in the second leg (2:0).

Real coach Carlo Ancelotti

(Bild: AFP/APA/OSCAR DEL POZO)

The Tyroleans also suffered the highest European Cup defeat of an Austrian club in history in the 1990 Champions Cup at the Bernabeu, losing 9-1. With 15 triumphs in the Champions Cup and Champions League, Real are the record winners of Europe's most important club competition. The Madrilenians have won the Champions League six times in the past eleven years alone. David Alaba played in the 2022 final victory, but the Austrian star was injured on the bench last year. After his comeback on Sunday, he could get a few more minutes against Salzburg.