Salzburg before the decisive Europa League game against Go Ahead Eagles!

Salzburg before the decisive Europa League game against Go Ahead Eagles!

The wait is over: FC Red Bull Salzburg wants to finally get their first point in the UEFA Europa League of the current season in their home game against Dutch cup winners Go Ahead Eagles this evening. After three games without a score, the “Bulls” supporters can look forward to an exciting evening when kick-off sounds at 6:45 p.m. in the Red Bull Arena. The guests from Deventer, a city with around 100,000 inhabitants, have had a surprising run: last season they secured the cup, their first title in 92 years. A stroke of luck that perfectly reflects the name of their team - "Eagles" - since it was added on July 1, 1971, to match the city's heraldic animal.

Salzburg is under pressure against the Go Ahead Eagles. So far, the appearance in the Europa League has been rather poor. In the table, the club from Austria has zero points after three games and the competition is not sleeping. In order not to be completely eliminated from the race for the knockout round of the Europa League, a win would be mandatory. A look at the other teams shows how difficult the situation is: with clubs like Midtjylland and Sporting Braga, some are already doing really well and have won three games from their previous games.

New challenges in the Europa League

This year's Europa League season brings with it some changes. With the new league system, in which teams compete against eight drawn opponents, there is less room for error. Only the first eight teams qualify directly for the knockout phase, while places 9 to 24 fight in play-offs for the remaining round of 16 tickets. Such innovations mean that today's game is particularly in focus for Salzburg. By the way, the final of the Europa League will be played on May 21, 2025 at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao, where over 50,000 spectators are expected.

Expectations are high and the Bulls have a good hand when it comes to home games. But the Go Ahead Eagles also have to be taken seriously. The club has not yet reached mid-table in the current competition and has only managed one win from three games. The competition is much tougher in the knockout format, so it is clear to everyone involved that every game counts. A win could not only bring important points for Salzburg, but also boost the self-confidence that has been missing in recent weeks.

So today's game won't just be a simple evening of football. It could be decisive for the rest of the season. The pressure is on and every player knows that the loyal fans at the Red Bull Arena are expecting more than just a decent performance tonight. Will the Bulls manage to score against the Eagles and thus turn things around? We are excited!