After the debacle

Bulls no longer need to talk about promotion

Disappointed: Mads Bidstrup.(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

After the 4-0 defeat against Stade Brest, Salzburg's chances of progressing in the Champions League are now a distant prospect. Coach Pep Lijnders says: "It's absolutely clear that it won't get any easier." 

Zero points, zero goals, seven goals conceded. That's the Bulls' record in the Champions League after two matchdays. Ironically, you could say that Salzburg is the "007 agent" of the top flight. However, James Bond has always had his opponents under control in the famous films. By no stretch of the imagination can that be said of the domestic runners-up.

The 0:4 home defeat against Brest was the next debacle after the 0:3 in Prague at the start. Before the start, the Bulls set themselves the goal of reaching the play-offs - i.e. a place in the top 24 of the new 36-team table. There's no need to talk about that now. To be honest, the dream of promotion is almost over.

Baidoo (l.) and Co. had a tough time against Brest.(Bild: GEPA)

Artificial intelligence has calculated that ten points will be enough for a top-24 finish 95% of the time. With nine points, there is "only" a 55 percent chance. Salzburg are on zero points and a look at the remaining program will make fans wonder where they are supposed to score if they didn't manage it against Sparta Prague and Brest. One thing is certain: the Bulls have to win the next two games against Dinamo Zagreb and Feyenoord. And then they need at least one mega surprise against Leverkusen, PSG, Atlético or Real.

"A lot of plans"
"It's absolutely clear that it's not going to get any easier, but nothing is impossible," said coach Pep Lijnders. Leo Morgalla was very disappointed: "We had high hopes. In the first two games, we didn't put in the performance we need to at this level."