"Krone" series

“There has never been such euphoria again”

Storming the pitch in Lehen: After winning the title, there was no holding back.(Bild: GEPA)

Ninth and final part of the "Krone" series: After losing the UEFA Cup final against Inter in Milan, the final spurt in the domestic championship awaited the Austria heroes. After the first Salzburg title in league history, there was a state of emergency in the city of Mozart. 

The impressions of the UEFA Cup final against Inter Milan were still very fresh, but Austria had no time to process them.

The championship final was just around the corner. After the 6:0 victory over their great rivals Austria Vienna, the fans were expecting Salzburg to win their first title. "That 6:0 will stay with me forever," says Michael Steiner, who had already played in both duels against Inter as a 19-year-old. "I contributed two assists. You don't forget something like that."

The fans brought their own plate.(Bild: Franz Pammer)

Immediately after the 0:1 in Milan, however, there was also a bitter setback in the league. 2:3 in Mödling - Hans Krankl had once again proved to be a spoilsport for Otto Baric. Would they now also lose the championship trophy - they had already given up a five-point cushion the previous year?

"We were empty after the final," said Heimo Pfeifenberger, explaining why the team suddenly found itself level on points with the defending champions from Vienna. It was Pfeifenberger who almost single-handedly shot down St. Pölten with a treble in a 4:1 win just a few days later ("I got going in the spring"), after which they didn't lose another game and made history with a 0:0 draw at Rapid: the championship title went to the Salzach for the first time ever!

Dream team: successful coach Otto Baric and successful president Rudi Quehenberger.(Bild: Franz Pammer)

When Salzburg hosted the championship celebrations, the whole city was on its feet. "It was like Christmas," says Philipp Mirtl, son of club secretary Rudi Mirtl and now a player consultant (m&m deportivo). "It was the greatest thing ever when the players came with the plate." President Rudi Quehenberger also remembers it like it was yesterday: "There were crowds of people from the stadium to Mozartplatz. There were 100,000 people in total."

Also a great celebrator: goalkeeper Otto Konrad (right, with coach Otto Baric).(Bild: Franz Pammer)

Hermann Stadler can still see the images in his mind's eye: "It was unique! There was a motorcade - the clutches were probably broken afterwards." Leo Lainer enthuses: "At the time, I wondered how such euphoria could arise. It was a state of emergency. The whole city was purple - there has never been such euphoria again!" In the old town, people sang: "We, only we, we are the winners, we, the Champions League of the league, we!" Salzburg had done it, Austria was number one in Austria!" 

"The pride" remains
What remains of that time? "The pride!" Stadler doesn't hesitate for a second. "As a farmer's boy from Oberndorf, I was allowed to be part of this team." Captain Heri Weber, who retired with the title, is also grateful for the experience. "You could see that you can achieve a lot with a lot of heart. And we had that in Salzburg."