Salzburg’s special relationship with Bavaria

It’s more than just a test match for Salzburg when FC Bayern come to the Red Bull Arena on Monday (6 p.m./live on ServusTV). The game is coming into focus because it is the first game under the new head coach. Thomas Letsch was brought in to lead the club back on the road to success after a disastrous autumn for Salzburg.

There are easier opponents on debut than the German record champions, but he is still happy: “Playing against Bayern is always something special. In fact, my last win as a coach was against them (note: 3-2 with Bochum).” In the end, however, it was about “that we prepare ourselves in the best possible way.”

In the first game of the year, other players will also be in focus. Salzburg and Bavaria have had an intensive relationship for years, not least because of their geographical proximity. So there are always transfers in both directions. FC Bayern is currently relying on fourfold support from the city of Mozart.

Laimer to friend

Above all, you have to Konrad Laimer mention. The ÖFB team player went through the entire academy in Salzburg, later matured into a top player in Liefering and finally reached international level in the fighting team. He made the jump to Bayern via a stopover in Leipzig, where he was most recently employed as a right-back.

With Dayot Upamecano The 27-year-old has a colleague in defense who can also look back on a Salzburg past. The Frenchman followed the same path as Laimer and also came to Munich via Leipzig.

But it’s not just on the field that ex-Salzburg players will be running around in Bayern’s uniform on Monday. Rene Maric was once assistant coach to Marco Rose, now he assists Bayern coach Vincent Kompany.

And then there is Christopher Freund. The once successful Salzburg sports director has been in Munich for a year and a half. With Freund, success has left Salzburg – temporarily. Are they both coming back together on Monday?

Trophy collector

There were a total of 19 direct changes between the two clubs. Like this, for example Alexander Zickler. He came in 2005 as a Champions League winner and seven-time German champion and won three championship titles with Salzburg.

Other “double agents” are Marcel Sabitzer, Sadio Mane or Stefan Maierhofer. Which: Louis Ngwat-Mahop played exactly two minutes for the Bayern professionals before moving to Salzburg.