The new year and winter have come to Salzburg, and our Red Bulls also got back to full training today! After a break of almost three weeks, our lads started with performance tests in the morning, before heading to Taxham in the afternoon for their first team training session of 2026!

The focus of the near 80-minute session was primarily on one thing: the ball. With various rondo drills and quick passing sequences, the players aimed to quickly regain their feel for it. To conclude the training session, our lads were able to let off their competitive steam in a game format with three large goals set up on each side and two goalkeepers per side. Among the 27 outfield players in the training group was Anrie Chase, who participated fully in team training for the first time. Away from the main training sessions, the fans present were also able to watch Justin Omoregie, who has recently been on loan at TSV Hartberg, during his individual training session. He is gradually returning to training after his Achilles tendon injury.

In terms of our football, it's clear: we want to improve in all areas. We have high expectations and want to win titles. We need to use the preparation period to improve in all phases of the game. I'm happy that – with a few exceptions like John Mellberg, who will be out for an extended period – almost all our players are fit. I'm pleased for Anrie Chase and Justin Omoregie that they are fit and back. Justin will initially train individually but should join training at our training camp. The situation is similar for Takumu Kawamura, who should be able to rejoin soon. Let's hope he and everyone else stays healthy in the new year.

Thomas Letsch

We're excited to be getting started again – and it's always great to see the other guys again! We have high expectations of ourselves - we want to become champions and cup winners again this year and show that we are the best team in Austria. Right now, the focus is on having a good friendly match against Bayern and the training camp, which we will use to fine-tune a few things before we get back to competitive action.

Mads Bidstrup

In addition to numerous training sessions, a total of three friendly matches are also on the schedule. The first of these is a real challenge, as Bayern Munich visit the Red Bull Arena on Tuesday 6 January at 15:00 – a parallel to last year, when the same fixture took place on the same day of the calendar. Over 26,000 tickets have already been sold for the match.

All further dates of the preparation period:

Tuesday 6 January, 15:00 CET, Red Bull Arena
Friendly match: FC Red Bull Salzburg v Bayern Munich (TICKETS ON OPEN SALE)
- Press conference at 12:30 to introduce Marcus Mann, our new CEO for Sport and with Stephan Reiter
8 to 16 January, Belek (Turkey)
Training camp
Saturday 10 January, 16:00 (14:00 CET), Stadium Hotel Titanic Mardan Palace (Belek)
Friendly match: FC Red Bull Salzburg v Rakow Czestochowa (POL)
Thursday 15 January 17:00 (15:00 CET), Hotel Regnum Carya Golf Resort (Belek)
Friendly match: FC Red Bull Salzburg v Red Star Belgrade (SER)
Thursday 22 January, 21:00 CET (Red Bull Arena)
UEFA Europa League: FC Red Bull Salzburg v FC Basel
Thursday 29 January, 21:00 CET (Birmingham)
UEFA Europa League: Aston Villa v FC Red Bull Salzburg
Sunday 1 February, 17:30 CET (Lavanttal Arena)
UNIQA ÖFB Cup (quarter-finals): RZ Pellets WAC v FC Red Bull Salzburg
Friday 6 February, 20:30 CET (Red Bull Arena)
ADMIRAL Bundesliga: FC Red Bull Salzburg v FK Austria Vienna

Fresh legs and clear aims - our first day of training in 2026