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

Head coach Christian Ilzer is the man who implemented this philosophy on the field. He forces his team to play “dominant, aggressive, attacking football” and wants to win the ball back quickly.

When he arrived in 2020, the aim was to take down a ‘competition 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 stood behind it, that supported the ideas we had forged, that lived and breathed them.

“And of course it was important from the beginning to provide a lot of clarity.”

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

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

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

Likewise, Sturm may be back in Europe’s elite competition, but the journey doesn’t end there or change the model that has proven successful thus far.

“It was always 100% clear to us that the Champions League will not change the project we started here in Graz four years ago,” Schicker continues.

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

“We still wanted to bring young, talented players with a lot of potential to the club, rather than experienced players for the Champions League.

“We also want to invest in infrastructure, for example a second training ground for the club. The Champions League proceeds will of course help enormously with this.”