Salzburg is looking for the new start at the club World Cup-Diepresse.com

After two « lost » seasons, Salzburg is ready for the departure to new shores. The journey to the club World Cup in the USA, which will take place from Saturday, is almost metaphorical. The bulls, who enter the tournament on June 18 and take off towards America on Friday, not only have a spectacle in mind – they want to lay the foundation for the return to old dominance. « A cut and a restart, » said coach Thomas Letsch.

Starting from the « HomeBase » in New Jersey-training is on the New York Red Bulls practice area in Group H against the Mexican Concacaf Cup winner 2024 Pachuca CF (June 18/19, 00:00 a.m. MESZ), the Saudi Arabic Club by neo-trainer Simone Inzaghi, Al-Hilal (June 22/23, 00.00), and the Champions League winner 2022 and 2024 Real Madrid by David Alaba (June 27, 03:00/all live dazn/free). The best two teams climb into the round of 16.

A worthwhile goal, not least because of the prize money. In addition to the entry fee of $ 12.8 million, the move into the KO phase would bring a further 7.5 million, in the group phase, each victory brings 2, each draw 1 million. « We want maximum success, whatever that means, » emphasized Letsch. A forecast was « difficult », the opponent’s degree in the past few months has been devalued: « All opponents changed the coach. (…) So we were able to tilt everything that the analysts have prepared back into the bins and now keep ourselves busy with it. »

Four new ones on board

Letsch ‘focus is on his own squad anyway. It comprises 28 men for the club World Cup, all newcomers are on board: with returnee Stefan Lainer and 28-year-old Danish central defender Jacob Rasmussen, according to Letsch a « mentality monster », two veterans are just as much part of it as well as two young: outdoor train player Frans Krätig (22) and the Japanese striker Sota Kitano (20). In addition, there are, for example, the Lieferingen striker Enrique Aguilar from Switzerland (18) or quasi returnees Maurits Kjaergaard, who missed almost the entire 2024/25 season due to injury.

The 20-year-old striker Kento Shiogai will not be on board, whose transfer burst on Tuesday due to an injury to the Japanese at the last minute, as his Club Nec Nijmegen announced. The signs of farewell may be with full-back Aleksa Terzic, who was not taken into account in the club World Cup squad. Midfielder Nicolas Capaldo and central defender Hendry Blank also do not seem to appear in the list. « The squad is currently too big, which is also clear. We want an ambitious squad, » emphasized sports director Rouven Schröder, for whose troops the new season on 22/23. July starts with the Champions League qualification.

The first information could give the test at SV Seekirchen on Thursday (6:00 p.m.) – the club from the local community of Lainers. The 32-year-old saw the trip to the USA above all « as a way to show me to show us as a team and just grow up ». Along the colorful dress called Kidsuper designed by the US fashion designer called « The Sound of Salzburg », the whole thing is not only « a cool thing, » said the returnee. « You also have to be careful not to get one on the lid at once. But I think we’ll do it. » (APA)