Moataz Al Shami (Dubai)
The match between Red Bull Salzburg of Austria and Bayern Munich of Germany, in the round of 16 of the Champions League, witnessed the breaking of many records in the tournament, which presented a unique European model stamped with the slogan “Made in Austria”.
The market value of Austrian Red Bull Salzburg amounted to 203.5 million euros, which is less than the value of Bayern Munich of 815.7 million euros, bringing the difference to 612.2 million, but the Austrian champion managed to dissolve all the hiccups with a generation of young players.
Salzburg has become the youngest team (with an average age of 23 years and 242 days) to reach the knockout stage, in the last 19 years, since the appearance of Ajax against AC Milan in April 2003, as it depends entirely on young people in its main list of 26 players.
Salzburg coach Matthias Geisley (33 years and 316 days) became the third youngest coach in the history of the Champions League knockout stage, behind Julian Nagelsmann (32 years and 211 days) in 2020 with Leipzig, and Domenico Tedesco (33 years and 161 days) in 2019 with Schalke.
Salzburg did not lose its last 15 matches at home, under the leadership of young coach Matthias Giseli, winning 14 of them, drawing one match against Bayern Munich, while winning all three matches at home, in the Champions League, in the group stage.
Junior Adamo’s goal for Salzburg, which he scored in the 21st minute, was the first for a “substitute” player in the Champions League knockout matches, since “substitute” Thierry Henry’s goal for Arsenal against Slavia Prague in October 2005. It was also in the 21st minute.
The Bavarian giant outperforms in many points, and the same is true of the German “Bundesliga” league, which has a market value of 4.8 billion euros, while the value of the Austrian league, called “Admiral Bundesliga” reaches 387.75 million euros, yet Salzburg was able to conquer those differences and withstand Bayern .