Why Pep Lijnders’ new-look Salzburg team will be one to watch in Champions League
The Red Bulls have started the season in impressive form, seeing off the challenge of FC Twente and Dynamo Kyiv en route to the Champions League’s inaugural league phase, while winning four of their opening five domestic fixtures.
It’s been a seamless transition for Lijnders back into management, with the highly-rated Dutchman taking the reins at the Austrian club following a successful six-year stint as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool.
Salzburg’s Champions League qualification will see them take on the likes of Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayer Leverkusen in the coming months - a stern test of their credentials in Europe’s elite club competition.
What’s more, the 17-time Austrian champions will also be keen to re-establish their domestic dominance, having come up short against Sturm Graz in last season’s title race.
Here at Flashscore, we’ve taken a closer look at Salzburg’s encouraging start to the new campaign and what to expect from Lijnders’ side ahead of their Champions League opener against Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
A new dawn for the Red Bulls
In recent years, Salzburg have earned a reputation across Europe for being dynamic, hard-working and one of the most difficult teams to play against.
That strong sense of identity has contributed to a winning formula, with former managers Marco Rose, Jesse Marsch and Matthias Jaissle all enjoying plenty of success at the club.
The 2023/24 campaign, however, was somewhat of a struggle for the Red Bulls, as Gerhard Struber and Onur Cinel oversaw Salzburg’s first season without any silverware in over 10 years.
Fresh ideas were needed at the helm and Lijnders was identified as the perfect candidate for the role, given both his availability and the impressive body of work he had accumulated alongside Klopp at Liverpool.
Fast forward a couple of months and the early signs are promising for the Dutchman, who has been clear about the aggressive, front-footed approach he demands from his players.
"If we lose the ball, we want to get it back,” explained Lijnders in an interview last month. “We should be playing our football in the opposition half. Counter-pressing isn’t a suggestion, it’s a rule.”
Similar to his time on Merseyside, Lijnders plays a high-pressing 4-3-3 formation that’s characterised by intensity and a hunger for goals.
Therefore, it’s hardly surprising that Salzburg have already found the net 25 times across their nine matches so far this campaign.
Lijnders’ philosophy hasn’t only been a hit on the pitch, but also among the club’s fanbase, with his daring approach a perfect fit for Salzburg’s ambitious and progressive mindset.
Salzburg’s strong Liverpool influence
It wasn’t just Lijnders who made the switch from Merseyside to Wals-Siezenheim in the summer, with Vitor Matos taking the role of assistant after four-and-a-half years as an elite development coach at Liverpool.
Matos was a key part of Klopp’s entourage during a hugely successful spell for the Reds, acting as an important link between the club’s academy and senior team - a role Lijnders previously carried out before becoming assistant manager at Anfield.
With Salzburg’s new head coach and assistant having worked closely with Liverpool’s exciting crop of youngsters, it came as no surprise to see the Austrian club make a couple of eye-catching moves in the transfer window.
First, 19-year-old midfielder Bobby Clark was signed for £10 million before the highly rated Stefan Bajcetic followed through the door on a season-long loan - a major coup for the Red Bulls.
Clark’s ability to drive with the ball from midfield and pick out teammates in the final third will add quality to Salzburg’s attacking play, while Bajcetic’s composure from a deeper midfield position is perfect for Lijnders’ preferred 4-3-3 formation.
Both players are expected to make their debuts against Sparta Prague on Wednesday as they look to rediscover the kind of form that propelled them into the first-team squad of one of Europe’s best sides.
Future players to keep an eye on
With an impressive track record of developing established stars such as Erling Haaland, Sadio Mane and Dominik Szoboszlai, Salzburg's revolving door of talent seems to be endless.
The Austrian club, who have a partnership with RB Leipzig in Germany, are considered one of the very best in Europe at bringing through young players and selling them for profit.
Oscar Gloukh is one of the latest stars to emerge from Salzburg's notorious setup, with the attacking midfielder making a name for himself last season with Champions League goals against Inter Milan and Benfica.
A brilliant hat-trick in Salzburg's 5-1 victory over BW Linz last month provided further proof that the Israeli international has what it takes to make an impact in one of Europe's top leagues.
Other youngsters to watch out for in Lijnders' team include striker Karim Konate, defensive midfielder Lucas Gourna Douath and marauding right-back Amar Dedic.
