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The news from Israel is rolling. The country is in the second lockdown in view of the sharp increase in the number of infections, now the crown pandemic has also hit Salzburg’s opponents in the soccer Champions League play-off, Maccabi Tel Aviv, in full force. According to media reports yesterday morning, seven players, including regulars like Dan Glazer, Yonatan Cohen, Dor Peretz, and Enric Saborit, as well as seven supervisors tested positive for Covid-19. For the European federation UEFA, that was not (yet) a reason to cancel the first leg scheduled for today (9 pm, DAZN and Sky conference) at the Bloomfield stadium in Tel Aviv.
The UEFA Crown regulations allow a wide margin of maneuver: as long as there are 13 healthy outfield players and two fit goalkeepers, a match will be played. Maccabi has a 30-man team.
“A strange feeling”
So the “Red Bulls” will do their best to take the game lightly. The many failures make the 29-time Israeli champion perhaps even more unpredictable.
FC Salzburg yesterday sent a manageable traveling party (45 men) on a charter plane to Tel Aviv. With the configuration that is 100 percent kicked. UEFA will likely not make a final decision until today, when more crown test series will be completed. “It’s a strange feeling, but the players are dealing with the situation in a very professional way. Those responsible in Tel Aviv are very concerned for our safety,” said Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund. Postscript: “Maccabi absolutely wants to compete.” Not just today, but also in the second leg on September 30.
It’s not a good look back
Who voluntarily resigns from the Champions League, in which Salzburg 2019, led by super forward Erling Haaland, shone with offensive football? The door to the round of 16 closed on the last day of the game.
This time, the mills will not be spared qualifying, and that does not bode well. The Mozart folks had tried it eleven times since the Red Bull group joined the company, and eleven times there had been no sense of accomplishment. One Itay Shechter, now Strmer in Maccabi Tel Aviv, is particularly unpopular. The now 33-year-old scored on August 18, 2010 in Hapoel Tel Aviv’s 3-2 win. In 2009, Salzburg also failed in the Champions League play-off due to an Israeli club, Maccabi Haifa. Now all bad things shouldn’t turn into three.
Israel’s team boss Willi Ruttensteiner from Wolfern warned Salzburg (before the outbreak of the Corona wave in Maccabi Tel Aviv) about the opponent. “They are a technically good team with a new and very experienced coach (Georgios Donis, note). But for me Red Bull Salzburg is the favorite simply because of the structure of the club.”
FC Salzburg in the Champions League standings
FC Salzburg have tried eleven times since 2006 at Red Bull to qualify for the group stage; the mission failed eleven times. For different reasons: In 2007/08 there were only minutes to go against Shakhtar Donetsk as Salzburg conceded the decisive 1: 3 in the 87th minute. Malm failed twice in a row (2014/15 and 2015/16), twice lost 3-0 after victories at home in Sweden. And then there was the shame against Ddelingen (2012/13).
In 2019/20, the Austrian champions fully qualified for the group stage and finished third in a group with Liverpool, Napoli and Genk. Seven points were scored in the six games, six against Genk and one in Naples.
Article of
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
