It’s a return to almost forgotten times: 30,000 spectators in a sold-out Austrian stadium – that was exactly two years ago. It would have been a drama if Salzburg had had to play again today against Bayern (9 p.m.) in front of empty stands. But it’s not just the spectators who make an actually unequal duel so exciting today: FC Bayern’s market value is 800 million euros, around a quarter of that of Salzburg. And yet there are enough points that make Salzburg dream of a sensation.
Salzburg’s style of play: Today’s duel is not trainable for FC Bayern in the German Bundesliga. No other team attacks the opponent as aggressively and at such a high pace in the first third of the attack as Salzburg. Stable colleague Leipzig is also not a benchmark in this regard. It also accounts for the density of fast players in the Salzburg squad. It hurts Bayern twice that with Alphonso Davies one of the few players with “Salzburg pace” will probably fail. In central defense, Bayern lacks continuity. Whether Dayot Upamecano, Niklas Süle or Lucas Hernandez – no matter who will be the chief of defense in Bayern’s back three today, there is no real boss.
The replacement for Manuel Neuer: Sven Ulreich has only played three Bundesliga games since 2019. Anyone who has the best goalkeeper in the world in Manuel Neuer in their own squad automatically no longer gets a world-class keeper as number two. Ulreich is very experienced and has played a total of 223 Bundesliga games for Stuttgart, Bayern and Hamburg. But for the most part these were a long time ago. Even if Ulreich is considered solid and reliable, this forced change is a big plus for Salzburg.
The self-image: It was also noticeable at yesterday’s Bayern press conference with coach Julian Nagelsmann: It was hardly at all about opponents Salzburg, but only about their own internal affairs. As respectful as the few words were, in the end little Austria is playing against big Germany today. And it is in our own self-image that there can only be one winner here.
Salzburg’s self-confidence: It’s not an unpleasant change for Salzburg to have nothing to lose today. This is combined with enormous self-confidence and belief in your own strength. “FC Bayern is a favorite? Not for us,” said striker Karim Adeyemi yesterday. The 20-year-old was born in Munich, was sorted out from the FC Bayern youth team and after six years in Unterhaching came to Salzburg in 2018, where he wants to make football history today.
Source: Nachrichten
