FC Salzburg’s chance of participating in the Champions League for the 6th time in a row is still alive: After their 2-1 first leg win against Twente Enschede, the “Red Bulls” want to secure their place in the play-offs of the premier class today (7 p.m., Servus TV).
One person who knows the fourth-placed team in the Dutch Eredivisie very well from the previous season is Michael Schimpelsberger from Neuhofen. Between 2008 and 2011, the 33-year-old, who now plays in the lower house for the regional league team Sattledt, took his first steps in the professional business not far from the German border. “Of course I still follow the club, I had a very formative time at Twente,” says the former professional from Rapid, Wacker Innsbruck and St. Pölten. Salzburg today has to adapt to one thing in particular: “Enschede is in an industrial area, the people live for the club. They are also called Tukkers; that means something like: hard workers and very connected to the region.”
“A real witches’ cauldron”
The stadium atmosphere in “De Grolsch Veste” is also special: “A real cauldron awaits Salzburg. As with Liverpool, the whole stadium sings ‘You Will Never Walk Alone’ before the team comes onto the pitch. The stadium now has 30,000 seats, and the atmosphere is comparable to Rapid.”
A lot has happened at the Red-Whites since his departure: “The club had financial problems, was relegated in 2018, but fought its way back. Last season they even finished third, ahead of Alkmaar and Ajax Amsterdam, among others.”
Nevertheless, he sees Salzburg as the favorite: “The Dutch are known for playing good football. But in this match it will mainly depend on whether Salzburg can work so well against the ball again.”
