Matchday news #B04SAL: First meeting with 17-time Austrian champions

#B04SAL – match facts

Today’s encounter is the first between the Werkself and FC Salzburg, and the Black and Reds’ first Champions League match against an Austrian side. Bayer 04 have taken on Austrian opponents in four UEFA Europa League matches, losing none.

Salzburg claimed their first win on Champions League Matchday 4, beating Feyenoord 3-1 to end their negative run of eight matches without a win in the competition. Before the meeting with Feyenoord, Salzburg, lying 30th in the table on three points, lost 3-0 to Sparta Prague, 4-0 to Stade Brest and 2-0 to Dinamo Zagreb. The Werkself are in for more big challenges in Europe’s premier club competition after today’s match, facing Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid.

Salzburg in focus

Salzburg’s recent domestic performances have been as patchy as in the Champions League. The club, who have won the Austrian Bundesliga in 10 of the last 11 years, are in sixth place despite a good start to the season. Coach Pepijn “Pep” Lijnders, who took over this summer after being Jürgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool for years, led Salzburg to six wins and two draws in the first eight competitive fixtures. Injuries often forced the Dutchman to shuffle his deck recently, both in terms of personnel and tactics. FCS have been more vulnerable at the back and harmless up front as a result, but their pressing and counter-pressing was strong against Feyenoord. More on our opponents in our in-depth profile.

salzburg view ahead of #B04SAL

After yesterday afternoon’s press conference with Xabi Alonso and Arthur (round-up HERE)​, the Salzburg press conference was staged at the BayArena in the evening. Coach Pepijn Lijnders commented: “Leverkusen are a special team, they can cause problems for all their opponents with their play, speed and skill. We must be bold and aggressive and show passion tomorrow.”

Keeper Alex Schlager added: “It’ll be a huge challenge tomorrow, no question, Leverkusen are a top team. But we’ve shown we can come up with surprises in the Champions League, and that’s what we want to do again.”

Balakin in charge

UEFA has appointed Mykola Balakin for the match. The 35-year-old Ukrainian will oversee his first match involving the Werkself. Balakin will be assisted by his compatriots Oleksandr Berkut and Viktor Matyash on the touchlines, with Guillermo Cuadra from Spain as VAR.