It felt like 80 percent of football fans were hoping for an end to Salzburg’s dominance. A parallel to Germany.
The former Rapid striker talent has been leading for ten years Christian Ebenbauer the Bundesliga’s business is carried out from its headquarters in Hietzing. It’s only 5 kilometers from there to Rapid in Hütteldorf, only 11 kilometers to Austria in Favoriten. But the league boss always traveled 300 kilometers on the western highway for award ceremonies. He recently decided to travel south for the first time with the Meisterteller “on suspicion”. A 2 instead of A 1. Storm Graz instead of RB Salzburg. Ebenbauer sent his deputy to Red Bull with a second plate.
It felt like 80 percent of football fans were hoping for an end to Salzburg’s dominance. A parallel to Germany, where north of the Weißwurst equator you can enjoy every bite Bayern celebrated. And accepted that Bayer Leverkusen a work club under Spanish direction Xabi Alonso a new defense of the title FC Mia san mia prevented.
Like Salzburg and Leipzig Thanks to the energy drink for their football promotion, Leverkusen’s existence in the league is secured by the pharmaceutical company. The only difference is that Bayer has been on the football market for much longer than Red Bull and the aversion to the pill eleven has subsided. While RB teams still face the full force of contempt from hardcore fans in away games. But: Despite all the sympathy for the football ideology of member clubs à la Rapid, it should be remembered how the entire domestic league benefits from the “bad” cops:
Because Salzburg collected so many points in the European four-year ranking 2019 – 2024 that helped secure a place in the Champions League (for the last time for the time being) and spared other Austrian clubs from preliminary round games for the European and Conference Leagues;
and because based on this UEFA club table (Salzburg 11.2 points; LASK 9.2; Rapid 4.5; Sturm 3.6; Wolfsberg 2.7) from UEFA those Austrian clubs that could not qualify for any international competition , together received a solidarity contribution of 5.5 million euros.
Off to the Club World Cup
Salzburg will receive almost ten times as much as entry fee for the Club World Cup in the USA in summer 2025. Where the elite of world football gathers and the multi-cultural team from small Salzburg will be big outsiders.
Of course, if all of the exceptional kickers for whom Salzburg served as a career springboard had stayed in the festival city, the following team, coached by former Salzburg supervisors such as: Adi Hütter or Oliver Glasner even reach the Club World Cup final:
Gulacsi (Leipzig), Laimer, Upamecano (both Bavaria), Wöber (Mönchengladbach); Szoboszlai (Liverpool), Sabitzer (Dortmund), Schlager, Seiwald, Haidara (all Leipzig); Minamino (Monaco), Haaland (Manchester City). Also: Köhn, Camara, Lainer, Susic, Kampl, Mané.
Ebenbauer had already presented them all with a championship medal.