Salzburg disappointed

Timo Horn: “Not lacking in potential, but …”

Timo Horn can imagine staying in Salzburg.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The farewell performance of the dethroned champions from Salzburg was at least conciliatory on Sunday. But goalkeeper Timo Horn still sees room for improvement. He has already given champions Sturm Graz their first challenge. 

Salzburg's 7:1 home victory over LASK was just not enough for the Bulls to win their eleventh championship in a row, but gave the protagonists hope for similar clarity in the coming season. "That has to be the direction," said goalkeeper Timo Horn, who once again deputized for the ailing Alexander Schlager.

Horn, who came on a free transfer from Cologne in the winter and still has an uncertain future due to his expiring contract, didn't have too much to do this afternoon. Also because it was noticeable at LASK "that the final motivation is no longer there", as Horn said. The lost championship was painful. "We've proven often enough that we can do it, and today was no exception. We don't lack potential. But attitude and mentality, pushing ourselves to the limit week after week, that has to be the requirement," the German made clear.

Will the veteran stay?
Horn, who can imagine being the number two behind ÖFB team goalkeeper Schlager in the coming season, who is in doubt for the European Championship, is hoping for a return to success under new coach Pepijn Lijnders. "We have to be as dominant as we were today and show what Red Bull is all about," emphasized the 31-year-old after his third appearance for the league giants.

At the end, there was still a 7:1 home win

(Bild: GEPA)

One player who will no longer be on the sidelines of the runners-up in 2024/25 is Onur Cinel. The interim coach, who took over from the hapless Gerhard Struber for the final six matches in mid-April, is returning to FC Liefering. Before that, he has his sights set on a European Championship surprise with Austria as assistant coach to Ralf Rangnick. Cinel said that his short time with the Bulls reminded him of pre-season preparation. "Now we're at the end of the fifth week, we would have been in the flow by now."

Strong performances at the end
The 38-year-old was "extremely disappointed" about losing the title, but at the same time "happy about the process". "We could have performed better if we had performed as a team earlier on, if we had shown more positional discipline right from the start."

With the clear victories over Hartberg and LASK, Salzburg almost managed to turn the corner after stumbling against Linz, Klagenfurt and Rapid. "The turnaround has come, but unfortunately too late," commented sporting director Bernhard Seonbuchner, who now has to tinker with the new squad. Some players are likely to leave the club, not least Luka Sucic, Strahinja Pavlovic and Oumar Solet, who have been the subject of transfer rumors for some time. "Of course I know which teams are in play," said Croatia team player Sucic. "But I'm not worried about that at the moment."