football
Series champions Red Bull Salzburg have important and exciting days ahead after the international break. In a week the “Bulls” will start the Champions League season at Benfica Lisbon, and on Saturday the dress rehearsal will take place as a real endurance test in the league against runner-up Puntigamer Sturm Graz.
14.09.2023 10.31
Online since today, 10:31 a.m
“This sharpens our senses,” said the new sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner, referring to the increased national competition, at a media event on Wednesday. For Seonbuchner, who has taken over the duties of Christoph Freund, who moved to Bayern Munich, Graz are a “serious competitor” who, like in the previous season, cannot be shaken off early.
“I do think they will be persistent throughout the season,” said the 40-year-old. “We’re looking forward to it because it makes us better too.” This also applies to him personally. “I ask a lot of questions,” he said, referring to the close collaboration with managing director Stephan Reiter, who has been managing the club’s financial fortunes for six and a half years.
GEPA/Mathias Mandl For Bernhard Seonbuchner, the strength of the competition definitely has its positive side
“Every change is an opportunity”
Reiter also saw the change in sports director as an opportunity to question established practices. After all, despite the quality of the routines, this is also “a huge danger”. “You also have to give yourself the space to question things. Every change is an opportunity, and I feel that very strongly at the moment.”
In the Champions League, Salzburg are facing their fifth group phase en suite. Compared to the established large clubs, they are still relatively inexperienced, but they have already built up a certain network. This was proven by Reiter’s election to the board of the European Club Association (ECA) last week. “On the international stage, we as Salzburg, but also as a league, have arrived in a completely different way. A few years ago the perception was completely different,” said the 52-year-old.