Red Bull Salzburg had a sad backdrop in the Austrian FA Cup against WSG Tyrol

The mood around Red Bull Salzburg seems more sombre than ever. Just one day before the start of the Cup Round of 16 against WSG Tyrol (from 8:20pm on S24 LIVETICKER), only around 2,000 tickets have been sold, meaning this sad new negative record can only be prevented by the amount Small. This number is slightly higher than the negative peak of 2012, when the runner-up competed against his sons.

Taurus “stable duel” as a negative brand

In the 4-1 win in the “stable duel” against Red Bull Juniors (then West Regional League), only 1,440 fans turned up at Wals-Siesenheim (Flachgau). Even well-known names such as Alexander Wouk, Stefan Herlander and audience favorites Jonathan Soriano and Andreas Ulmer did not change the sad backdrop.

In recent years, the Wals-Siesenheim Stadium has become a venue for exciting matches and exciting comebacks. But this season feels like a scary movie scenario. A disappointing performance, a change of coach that has yet to achieve the desired effect, and now an expanded hospital, have left their mark – not just on the pitch, but also in the stands.

Reasons for the decline in the number of Salzburg fans

It's no secret that fans are unhappy. The sporting achievements of Karim Konate and Co. fall far short of expectations. Three wins from their last 11 competitive matches cloud hopes of a turnaround. Serious injuries to key players and a general lack of answers to the misery have sparked turmoil in the Bulls camp.

Three other key players were injured against Wydad (0-0). Maurits Kjergaard (ankle), Lukas Jorna (ankle) and Samson Baidou (skull bruises) join Oscar Galloch (groin), Amar Didic (inside), Aleksander Schlager (injured), Musa Yew (ankle) and Fernando and William, who are long-term injured. Takumo Kawamura (knee).

The spark that usually ignites among fans is missing this season. But that is exactly what coach Pep Lijnders wanted to impose after taking office on day one – to no avail.

A large percentage of fans are from Salzburg

Another reason for the decreasing number of spectators in the Austrian Fed Cup, in addition to the importance of the competition, is also the unpopular starting signal at 8.30pm. The policy of rapid transfer profits and constant exchange of top players hardly allows for long-term identification. Along with Alexander Schlager (born in Salzburg) and Samson Baidu, there are only two Austrians eligible to play for ÖFB.

The spark of the idea of ​​playing in the Champions League is no longer enough to attract fans to the stadium in large numbers. The average attendance for the three league home matches is 9,780 fans.

Concern: The two top-flight home matches against Brest (20,232 fans / 0:4) and Dinamo Zagreb (24,018 / 0:2) were also not sold out with around 30,000 seats available. 69 percent of season ticket holders come from the federal state and do not have to travel far, the club told SALZBURG24. It is followed by Upper Austria with 20 percent and Lower Austria with 4 percent. In Germany, 2% of regular fans own a season ticket.

With the cup match against WSG Tyrol, Salzburg are under enormous pressure. It is possible that the victory over the German club will stop the sporting decline temporarily, but there are still doubts about the number of spectators. Not only does a team have to be athletically convincing, but they also have to bring an identity and passion to the pitch that captivates the fans. Otherwise, this negative record cannot remain the last and the crisis of the Lijnders team will worsen.

(Source: Salzburg 24)