Northern Ireland v Austria

DOMESTIC

Red Bull Salzburg have been the dominant force in the Austrian Bundesliga recently and in June they won a seventh league title in a row as American head coach Jesse March won the double in his first campaign in charge. Their title bid was boosted by LASK Linz receiving a points deduction for violating coronavirus restrictions during training sessions in May, a punishment that saw them lose their spot at the top of the table. Salzburg won the first three matches of this season – the only team in the division to do so – extending an unbeaten league run that dates back to March. Their team last season included both Erling Braut Haaland and Takumi Minamino, who made moves to Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool respectively. Haaland scored 28 times in 22 games for Salzburg that season. Austria Vienna were the last team other than Salzburg to win the division, having done so in 2012-13. However, it is 32- time champions Rapid Vienna who are historically the nation's most successful team. Salzburg have been able to translate their domestic success into Europe in recent seasons. They reached the Europa League semi-finals in 2017-18, knocking out Real Sociedad, Borussia Dortmund and Lazio in the knock-out rounds. They beat Celtic home and away in the next campaign and last term they ran Liverpool close in a 4-3 Champions League loss at Anfield. The last Austrian club to reach a European final were Rapid Vienna, who did so in 1996 when they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the Cup Winners' Cup decider.

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