Salzburg (foto: Uradni Twitter profil kluba/zveze)
Red Bull Salzburg faces a crisis as management evaluates the club’s future amid disappointing results, with major decisions on the horizon.
Red Bull Salzburg, Dinamo’s upcoming Champions League opponent, finds itself in a deep crisis, sparking an internal evaluation of what went wrong and how to recover. Salzburg, traditionally a powerhouse in Austrian football, has struggled under new coach Pep Lijnders, facing two heavy losses in just a few days – a 0-4 defeat to Brest and a 0-5 loss to Sturm Graz. These performances, combined with only two wins from their last eight games, have led to widespread criticism.
Lijnders voiced his concerns after the latest defeat, stating, “I have a lot of questions in my head!” His tenure, marked by defensive lapses, has left fans and the media questioning whether he can steer the team back on course. Despite guiding Salzburg to the Champions League, Austrian media is now calling for swift and decisive action.
Salzburg’s struggles reflect deeper issues, according to local experts, with many tracing the club’s decline back to the passing of Dietrich Mateschitz, the founder of Red Bull. Mateschitz’s death shifted the company’s priorities, reportedly focusing more on projects in Leeds and Torino, which could potentially relegate Salzburg within the organization.
Further compounding Salzburg’s challenges is the departure of sporting director Christoph Freund to Bayern Munich. His replacement, Bernhard Seonbuchner, has struggled to fill key roles, especially in defense. Notable exits, such as Strahinja Pavlović to Milan and Luka Sučić to Real Sociedad, were not adequately addressed, leaving a noticeable void. Young signings like Bobby Clark and Stefan Bajčetić were thrust into the starting lineup with minimal time for adjustment.
With mounting pressure, Red Bull’s top executives, including Oliver Mintzlaff and technical director Mario Gomez, convened for a crisis meeting on Monday. According to insider sources, Seonbuchner received a sharp reprimand, with Austrian media speculating about his potential departure.
However, both Seonbuchner and Lijnders are set to continue for now, with the understanding that they must secure victories over Altach and Dinamo after the international break. Any further missteps could spell the end for both.
Skepticism remains among Austrian experts, who doubt Salzburg can pull off an immediate turnaround. With 15 players away on international duty, Lijnders faces limited options to make significant changes.
The upcoming matches after the break may well decide the fates of Salzburg’s coach and sporting director. For Dinamo, it could be a chance to capitalize on Salzburg’s turmoil.