Red Bull Salzburg begin their UEFA Europa League qualifying campaign at home to Pafos FC on Thursday at 19.00, and trainer Danny Röhl has already made it clear this is not a tie to treat lightly. Salzburg have started the season well, but the first leg in Wals-Siezenheim will ask a different question: can they turn a solid opening into a real European advantage?
That matters because the return match will follow in Limassol, leaving Salzburg with only one chance to shape the tie at home. They arrive with momentum after winning their first two matches in the Uniqa-ÖFB-Cup and the Admiral Bundesliga, including Sunday’s 1:0 league win over Hartberg, but Pafos have also shown they can survive pressure and come through difficult qualifying nights.
Röhl: Pafos are experienced and dangerous
Röhl has been open about the challenge. He described Pafos as “eine erfahrene Mannschaft, die wissen genau, was sie tun,” while also pointing to the way they use their strengths. In his view, they come “viel über die Flügel” and are “sehr gut über Standardsituationen,” which is exactly the sort of profile that can punish any drop in concentration.
He also framed the match as a test of Salzburg’s own habits rather than simply a comparison of reputations. “Für uns wird das auf jeden Fall eine Aufgabe,” Röhl said, before adding that every win early in the season helps “damit die Überzeugung wächst in allem, was wir tun.” That is a sensible line to take. Early European qualifiers are often decided as much by control and clarity as by talent alone.
Why Salzburg cannot afford a passive night
Pafos are not coming in cold. Last season they advanced through three qualifying rounds to reach the Champions League league phase playoff stage, and they also finished with nine points. They ended the campaign fourth in their league and qualified for the Europa League through their cup win, so this is a side with recent experience in handling knockout pressure.
They also showed resilience recently against Hajduk Split, recovering after a 0:2 first-leg defeat. That is a warning sign for Salzburg, who will know that a home lead matters in a tie that shifts to Cyprus for the second leg. Röhl’s message is straightforward: Salzburg need intensity and speed if they want to cause problems.
“Wenn wir unsere Intensität und Geschwindigkeit auf den Platz bekommen, dann können wir ihnen schon sehr wehtun,” he said. It is the right focus for a team that should have enough quality to dominate spells, but still needs to prove it can impose itself across a full qualifying tie.
Edmund Baidoo returns at the right time
There is at least some positive selection news for Salzburg. Edmund Baidoo was left out of the squad at the weekend, but Röhl confirmed the player is back and ready to compete again. “Edi ist zurück, darüber sind wir alle froh. Er hat in den letzten zwei Tagen klar signalisiert, dass er ready ist, aufzulaufen,” the trainer said.
That return gives Salzburg another option as they try to build a strong first-leg position. The task remains clear: take control in Wals-Siezenheim, make the most of home advantage, and travel to Limassol with the tie firmly in their hands. If they can do that, they will take one more step toward a place in the Europa League league phase. If not, Pafos have already shown enough to make the second leg uncomfortable.
