Sturm Graz: How Austrians ended Red Bull’s title dominance

Head coach Christian Ilzer is the man who has implemented that philosophy on the pitch, pushing his team to play “dominant, aggressive, attacking football” and looking to win the ball back quickly.

When he arrived in 2020, the goal was to bring down a “league giant” in Red Bull Salzburg.

“On the one hand it was teamwork, very good coordination between sporting director Andreas Schicker and myself,” he says about the process.

“Of course, there was also a top coaching team behind it, a club that was behind it, that supported the ideas that we forged, that lived and breathed them.

“And of course it was important from the outset to ensure a great deal of clarity.”

Ilzer’s own career was cut short by repeated cruciate knee ligament injuries aged 17 and his journey from amateur coach to double-winning manager has been varied.

Competing in the Champions League is of course the highlight so far, but the 46-year-old is far from finished.

“I’m not yet at the end of my dreams, at the end of my development, which should always continue, but the journey is what fulfils me,” he adds.

Likewise, Sturm may be back in Europe’s elite competition but the journey does not end here or change the model that has so far proved successful.

“For us it was always 100% clear, that the Champions League will not change anything about the project we started here in Graz four years ago,” adds Schicker.

“Of course, it’s a dream come true for everybody at the club to play on the biggest stage in club football, but the money that comes with it doesn’t change our approach to the transfer market.

“We still wanted to get young, talented players with a lot of potential to grow to the club instead of getting experienced players for the Champions League.

“We also want to invest in infrastructure, for example a second training ground for the club. For that, the Champions League earnings of course help a lot.”