Cool autumn evenings in Wals-Siezenheim usually promise the beginning of great careers in European football, which is why a series of posters commemorated the past years in the home corner of FC Salzburg before the game against Inter Milan. FC Liverpool were guests here in the group phase in 2019, FC Bayern the following year, Salzburg made it to the round of 16 against OSC Lille and VfL Wolfsburg, and last year they failed at FC Chelsea and Milan.
Much more important, however, was what all of Europe’s elite clubs took with them from Salzburg: first the realization that there was a young, hungry team full of talent – and then at some point these talents themselves. Liverpool FC, for example, was almost taken over by the young Erling from Salzburg four years ago Haaland defeated, today Liverpool is fighting against him for the championship and even has former RB top talent Dominik Szoboszlai in the squad. Noah Okafor, who moved from Wals to the world in the summer, has been playing at Milan since this season. Just like his superior, sports director Christoph Freund, who now sits on the bench next to Thomas Tuchel in Munich.
Inter Milan had to deal with the future, so to speak, on Wednesday evening. And because the Champions League finalist had a whole bunch of ripped-off players over 30 in the lineup, it can be said that the past was able to fend off the attack this time. A narrow 1-0 win thanks to a hand penalty converted late by Lautaro Martinez was enough for Inter to move into the round of 16 – Salzburg, on the other hand, only has a chance of third place and the Europa League.
In the summer, Salzburg had to carry out what was probably the biggest reconstruction in the club’s recent history
“The games felt as if there could have been more,” said Amar Dedic, looking back on the 180 minutes against Inter in which Salzburg once lost 2-1 at San Siro and now lost 1-0. A penalty was also decisive in the first leg, but Salzburg weren’t really lucky, except that the talented, strong-running Salzburg team had never been the best at forcing success. “You saw against an experienced team like Inter that you are punished for your mistakes,” said Dane Mads Bidstrup.
It’s certainly not all rosy this season in Salzburg, where what was probably the biggest reconstruction in the club’s recent history had to be carried out at very short notice in the summer because, in addition to Freund, coach Matthias Jaissle left shortly before the start of the season – to Saudi Arabia. However, his successor Gerhard Struber has quickly formed a team in which talent can develop and at the same time achieve immediate success – the eternal challenge of the Austrian industry leader.
The fact that the autumn casting show called the Champions League hasn’t been quite as successful as expected shouldn’t change the interest in Salzburg. The many scouts in the Walser stands look less at the results boards and are more interested in the individual talents: Dedic, 21, is the focus, Real Madrid are said to be particularly interested in the young full-back. Attacking midfielder Luka Sucic, also 21, and 19-year-old Ivorian Karim Konaté are also on numerous lists.
Dedic, who also captained Salzburg after veteran Andreas Ulmer was replaced due to injury, set the tone accordingly. “Heads up,” he said: “We just have to keep going and see that we can continue playing in Europe.” This sentence functions as the club’s credo as well as a prophecy for its own future – and that of his teammates.