Pep Lijnders’ Red Bull Salzburg lose HEAVILY again – with Stefan Bajcetic involved

Pep Lijnders’ Red Bull Salzburg team suffered a second Champions League defeat, losing 4-0 to Brest as Liverpool loanee Stefan Bajcetic came off the bench.

It is still early days in Lijnders’ reign at Salzburg, but his European trials haven’t gone to plan so far.

On matchday one, the Austrian team lost 3-0 at Sparta Praha as loanee Bajcetic and Bobby Clark, who moved there permanently in the summer, both started.

This time, Clark started but Bajcetic only made the bench as, playing at home, they conceded four to French side Brest – Liverpool’s Spanish midfielder came on with 13 minutes to play once they were already 4-0 down.

Despite Salzburg’s youthful nature – they have already started 10 different under-21s in this Champions League campaign, more than any team in a single season according to the club – the result still came as a surprise.

?? Wir haben bereits in den ersten 2 CL-Spielen insgesamt 10 verschiedene Spieler unter 21 Jahren in die Startelf berufen – so viele wie noch nie von einem Team in einer einzigen Saison. #UCL #SALSB29 pic.twitter.com/C4yDYPW8hv

— FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) October 1, 2024

 

A deceiving scoreline?

Despite what the scoreline suggests, Brest didn’t particularly dominate the Game and Salzburg will consider themselves unfortunate to have lost by four.

With Clark iNFLuential in midfield, Lijnders’ side started the better team, created several chances in the first half and had a goal ruled out by the VAR for offside.

The hosts should have scored given the opportunities they carved out, but they were ultimately undone by Brest’s contrasting composure on the break.

Senegalese striker Abdallah Sima was particularly potent for the last year’s 3rd-placed finishers in Ligue 1, scoring twice on the night.

His first put Brest ahead in the 24th minute, before three second-half goals in 10 minutes left Salzburg wondering where things had gone wrong.

 

Stefan Bacjetic’s season

While he didn’t start against Brest, Bajcetic has been used consistently by Lijnders despite missing most of last season through injury.

The 19-year-old has started two of Salzburg’s three Austrian Bundesliga Games and made his debut for the club in their Champions League defeat to Sparta Praha.

On Monday, Bajcetic couldn’t find his boots so he was late for training. Linders said he would be fined “around €500 (£417) the day before the Game,” reported the Liverpool Echo.

His absence from the starting XI against Brest wasn’t related, though, and Salzburg 24 reported the incident was taken in good spirits.

An away match against Sturm Graz awaits Salzburg this weekend, while their next European fixture is at home against Dinamo Zagreb.