The friendly match between Red Bull Salzburg and Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday afternoon is set to be anything but the typical slow-paced pre-season game. Both clubs, under the guidance of two ambitious young managers, are gearing up intensively for the upcoming season.
Since joining Sheffield Wednesday in October last year, Danny Röhl has introduced a high-energy style of play to his team. He will undoubtedly want to showcase the technical progress made during pre-season, especially against his former employers, Red Bull Salzburg. With Salzburg’s new coach, Pep Lijnders, also favoring a high-octane, aggressive approach, the match promises to be a clash of similar philosophies.
Lijnders, familiar to many Wednesday fans from his time as Jurgen Klopp’s assistant at Liverpool, has been vocal about his desire for Salzburg to play an assertive, forward-pressing game. The Austrian side, further along in their pre-season preparations, has already played four formal friendlies and will soon enter minor cup action before their league campaign kicks off. Their match against Wednesday at the Red Bull Arena, played behind closed doors, will be their final tune-up before competitive play begins.
Lijnders recently outlined his vision for Salzburg, emphasizing a relentless attacking style. “I want to play in the opposition half, to keep possession, and to quickly regain the ball if we lose it,” he said. “It’s about pressing and counter-pressing, staying in the opposition half as long as possible. I believe in a 4-3-3 with three strikers, which allows for unpredictable pressing, especially with the midfield joining the attack. My approach to the game, talent, and development is very clear.”
Sheffield Wednesday travels to Germany today (Friday) before crossing the border for their match against Salzburg. They have played one formal friendly so far, a 2-0 win at Alfreton Town, and a training match at Brighton & Hove Albion, where they reportedly lost 3-0. The Owls’ European training camp will conclude with a match against Werder Bremen in Zell am Ziller on Friday, July 26.
