Salzburg's wasted chances end "with great relief"

Salzburg needed 36 shots on goal for a home victory in their Bundesliga opener against Hartberg.

It almost wasn't enough for the win. But a header from Karim Konaté allowed Salzburg to breathe a sigh of relief (to the match report >>>).

Especially for new Salzburg coach Danny Röhl, it was a test of patience against a deep-sitting Hartberg side. Ultimately, however, only success counts for now.

Röhl Satisfied After Opening Win: "A Great Relief"

Above all, assessing their current position after such a massive squad overhaul is hardly a simple matter.

However, the "Bulls" demonstrated the new coach's hoped-for offensive and courageous football from the very beginning.

Precisely for this reason, the narrow victory is also deserved. "It's a great relief," explained the 37-year-old German immediately afterwards in a "Sky" interview.

Although team cohesion cannot yet be fluid enough at such an early stage of the season, the atmosphere within the dressing room already seems promising. "We are a functioning team with a lot of energy," Röhl emphasized.

Veratschnig: "We Have to Score More Goals"

For one Salzburg player, the Bundesliga opener was naturally very special. Nikolas Veratschnig, after the ÖFB Cup opener, also captained the "Bulls" against Hartberg.

"It's a good feeling to receive that trust. I wear the captain's armband with immense pride," emphasized the 23-year-old.

However, the carelessly squandered scoring opportunities drew some criticism from the ex-WAC player. "We have to score more goals and pose a greater goal threat. But it was a good step in the right direction," added the Carinthian.

Whether Veratschnig will be allowed to wear the captain's armband in the coming weeks ahead of Haris Tabakovic remains to be seen.

For Salzburg, the focus now shifts to their European Cup opener on Thursday in the EL qualification against the Cypriot club from Pafos (from 7:00 PM in the LIVE ticker >>>).