Welcoming the moneymen without question is often to over-depend on the kindness of strangers; a case of ’seller beware’. Deeming his Red Bull Salzburg to have already outgrown the Austrian ‘market’, multi-millionaire fizzy pop junkie Dieter Mateschitz is seeking ‘conversion’ into the German Bundesliga.

Only this, he says, will enable the company to compete in the Champions League. Their Salzburg franchise would remain – as an incubator for talent recruited from similar operations in Ghana, Brazil and, of course, New York. A whole lot of fans are going to be left watching some heavily hyped-up reserve team football.

As Red Bull look overseas, there’s good reason to tread in the opposite direction. Supporters of Switzerland’s FC Lucerne were the latest to make their way to Nonntal, to see champions Austria Salzburg knock Perwang for six last weekend.

For what could be their last game before a move from the foot of the Mönchsberg, the beertent is booked, and fans from Borussia Dortmund, Udinese plus, of course, Leeds United are due in Salzburg for the season’s finale on June 9th. Kick off: 5pm. Don’t be late.

See also: Austria Salzburg, Red Bull | Comments Off