Röhl's balance breakthrough gives Salzburg a rare away win in Europe

Under the floodlights of the Vasil Levski stadium, Red Bull Salzburg stepped onto the pitch with a clear purpose: to prove that the Wie they had been searching for – a solid defensive balance – could finally be found. The German (Deutsche) coach Danny Röhl watched his side grind out a 1-0 victory over the Bulgarian Meister, a result that also marked Salzburg’s first Auswärtssieg in a European cup main competition for more than 22 months.

European insights from Lewski Sofia

Beyond the three points, the Salzburg team returned home with a host of positive take‑aways from the Europa League opening clash at Lewski Sofia. The defence, which had let little through against the champion, also experimented with a deeper Block – a new quality that Röhl believes will be useful in future European fixtures. "It was a very, very mature performance," the German praised after the match.

Röhl's unbeaten start and defensive evolution

With 13 unbeaten games to start his tenure, Röhl has already eclipsed the records of Marco Rose (2017) and Jesse Marsch (2019). More than half of those matches have ended with a clean sheet, a statistic the coach highlighted as evidence that the Team is learning to defend well from the first whistle. "We start as a team defending well," he said, adding that such solidity is "already important internationally" and different from the possession‑heavy demands of the domestic league. He also singled out the new defensive midfield axis of 19‑year‑old Polish midfielder Bartosz Mazourek and former Austrian international Abubakr Barry, calling their partnership "absolutely world‑class". "Barry gives us calm, Mazourek can accelerate the game," Röhl explained, noting that the duo helps the side "get into the right spaces".

Squad depth and future ambitions

Depth has become a hallmark of the Salzburg squad. Central defender Tim Drexler, who replaced the ill Valentin Zabransky in the recent 1‑1 draw at Ried, stressed that "we have very, very good depth in the squad – you need that when you play every three days". Goalkeeper Christian Zawieschitzky, at 19 the youngest starter in the Europa League, described his call‑up to the Austrian national team as a "big honour" but said he "doesn't make too much of it". Right‑back Nikolas Veratschnig, also 19, voiced his ambition to debut for the national side, adding that "there is still a lot to improve". Coach Röhl confirmed Veratschnig as the fixed captain for the coming weeks, with Haris Tabakovic as his deputy.

Tabakovic, who scored the winning goal in Sofia, reflected on expectations placed on strikers and himself: "Everyone expects a striker or me to score goals, but I try to give my best and move forward." The opening win, he said, is crucial for the upcoming league phase, where Salzburg face Sturm Graz on Sunday at 17:00 (live on Sky) before the international break. The next Europa League fixture comes on 15 October at home against AC Milan, a match that will test whether the balance discovered in Sofia can be sustained on a bigger stage.