His team was eliminated from the UEFA Champions League Tuesday following a 2-0 home defeat to Liverpool, but coach Jesse Marsch and FC Red Bull Salzburg received big praise from the defending European champions after the match.
“I couldn't have more respect for what Salzburg are doing here, the way they play football. ... Salzburg were unbelievably strong, especially in the first half, but we were too. ... We should have scored more goals,” Liverpool coach Jurgen Klopp said. “Massive respect for Jesse and what they did.”
Klopp went on to say Salzburg “are very aggressive, they almost jump you.” But Liverpool made the necessary adjustments in the second half with Naby Keita and Mo Salah scoring goals one minute apart to sink the Austrian Bundesliga side.
In his first season at Salzburg after spending a season as a Leipzig assistant coach, Marsch, the first American to coach in the Champions League, praised his club’s development and performance against the class of Europe.
“They played a good game against a strong team,” the former New York Red Bulls coach said after the match. “We were close, but it was also a step too far. But it is incredible to see the development of this team and at times we were better.”
While Salzburg won’t advance in the Champions League, the focus shifts to the Europa League, which Marsch said should be beneficial for his squad.
“It is good that we have the Europa League because it will provide us with some good opponents in the spring,” Marsch said. “I am proud of the boys. I love this team.”
Marsch also believes, with efforts like he saw Tuesday against Liverpool, Salzburg can not only compete in the Europa League, but win the whole thing.
