This coming Monday our preparations for the 2023/24 season are to begin. As Austrian champions we are sure of our spot in the UEFA Champions League group stage, and the first few weeks of pre-season training will be very important ones. Coach Matthias Jaissle says:

We are pleased that it is getting going again finally after the break. We want to lay the foundations for a successful season in the weeks ahead - even if we will be missing a few players at the start due to international action. They will join us in dribs and drabs.

Return of loan and international players, new signings start

After the end of last season, a lot of Salzburg players were in action for their national teams. They will be given a chance for a break and a bit of recovery - as the Red Bulls will be training intensively right away.

Missing the first session will therefore be Samson Baidoo, Amar Dedic, Oscar Gloukh, Dijon Kameri, Maurits Kjaergaard, Sekou Koita, Karim Konate, Strahinja Pavlovic and Ignace van der Brempt. Those internationals returning from loan like Mamady Diambou (recently at FC Luzern), Nico Mantl (Aalborg BK), Dorgeles Nene (KVC Westerlo) and Roko Simic (FC Zürich) will also return to training later.

New signings in action from Monday include Petar Ratkov and Alexander Schlager while Kilian Ludewig (after a loan at Aalborg BK) and Kamil Piatkowski (KAA Gent) along with several FC Liefering youngster will take part.

Futures to be resolved

Other players out on loan like Antoine Bernede (FC Lausanne-Sport), Daniel Owusu (Vienna), Mamadou Sangare (TSV Hartberg) and Lucho Vasquez (Kapfenberg) still have their futures to be decided.

Four weeks of training, five friendly matches

The pre-season lasts for four weeks before our first competitive match of the season in the ÖFB Cup (draw to be made on Sunday 25 June) with five friendly matches scheduled - against the Hungarian champions, sides placed second in Poland and Denmark - along with a training camp (in Saalfelden).

2023/24 pre-season and start of season dates

26 June, 10:30 CET: First training session (Taxham training centre, public)
26 June, 12:30: Mixed Zone (Trainingszentrum Taxham)
30 June, 18:00: Friendly vs. Ferencvaros Budapest (HUN) in St. Johann im Pongau
1 to 8 July: Training camp in Saalfelden
4 July, 18:00: Friendly vs. Legia Warsaw (POL) in Saalfelden
8 July, 15:30: Friendly vs. FC Nordsjaelland (DEN) in Grünau
15 July, 11:30: Friendly vs. 1. FC Slovacko (CZE) in Eugendorf
15 July: Friendly (opponents TBC)
21/22/23 July: 1st round UNIQA ÖFB Cup
28/29/30 July: 1st matchday ADMIRAL Bundesliga 2023/24
31 August: UEFA Champions League group stage draw
19/20 September: 1st matchday UEFA Champions League

Training starts on Monday with some returning players