When the red-white-red double winner was not yet grazing the football fields of Europe in the name of the “dose” and without the “Red Bull” on his chest – i.e. before 2005/06 – the journey took SV Austria Salzburg twice to the venerable Giuseppe Meazza Stadium, opened in 1926, renovated four times (most recently in 2015) and more commonly known as “San Siro”.
These were performances that – because of their importance – were burned into one’s memory. The Milan four-star arena, which is owned by the city, offers 75,817 spectators. Back then, on May 11, 1994, 80,326 fans (including 6,000 Austrians) were eyewitnesses to a guest performance in Mozartstadt, where nothing less than the UEFA Cup trophy was at stake against Inter.
Salzburg had earned the final ticket with some memorable last-minute successes over Dunajska Streda, Royal Antwerp, Sporting CP, Eintracht Frankfurt and Karlsruher SC and had traveled to the Italian fashion metropolis with a 0-1 mortgage from the first leg. The turn failed because of the Brazilian Marquinho in the 57th minute when the score was 0:0 with his billiard kick from 19 meters – the ball bounced from the left post along the goal line to the right and back into the field – millimeters were missing and the “Nerazzurri” went through Wim Jonk (62.) scored a second 1-0 win.
Exactly 140 days later, the Salzburgers should have the dubious pleasure of seeing “San Siro” again, then – to the unforgotten coach Otto Baric to quote – “at the maximum level” in the Champions League. On September 28, 1994, the “violets” were subject to the von Franco Baresi, Paolo Maldini and Ruud Gullit led AC Milan after goals by Giovanni Stroppa (40.) and Marco Simone (59′, 64′) 0-3. However, not without background noise.
This victory cost the “Rossoneri” dearly. Because Salzburg’s goalkeeper Otto Konrad shortly after the 0:1 was hit in the head by a full water bottle from the spectator area (41st) and later substituted in a daze (60th), the case ended up before the UEFA Disciplinary Committee.
AC Milan lost two points (there weren’t three for a win back then) and were handed a two-match stadium ban. The point deduction should have meant that Salzburg could have surpassed the “Rossoneri” in the last group match with a home win over AC Milan and managed to climb up. The reality was different. Austria’s champions lost on December 7, 1994 in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium to a capacity crowd Daniele Massaro (26′) 0-1.
Today the starting position for Red Bull Salzburg is identical and perhaps the day of revenge has come. The chance lives.
Source: Nachrichten
