Background
When Salzburg and Linz meet on New Year's Day, both teams will be riding high. The Red Bulls won 4-0 in Innsbruck yesterday, extending their impressive winning streak to eight games. Linz has won their last two home games against Innsbruck and yesterday against Székesfehérvár – by a resounding 7-0 (!) – ending a brief run of four losses.
And both teams are hungry for more. The Red Bulls, who moved back up to fifth place yesterday, want to climb further and secure their playoff spot. Only three points separate third-placed Ljubljana from sixth-placed Pustertal, making every point crucial. The Black Wings also want to secure their pre-playoff position, currently sitting in eighth place. Even in the standings between seventh and eleventh place, the teams are separated by just three points. A win would give Linz a significant boost.
The Red Bulls are preparing for a heated match against the Upper Austrians, as usual. Just before Christmas, they narrowly won 3-2 in Linz, but regardless of their position in the standings, they faced a truly evenly matched Linz side, who seemed to have warmed up nicely against Székesfehérvár yesterday.
New Year's games a good omen for Salzburg
It's been three years since the Red Bulls were able to welcome the new year at home with their fans. On January 1, 2023, they won 3-1 at home against Villach. In the last two years, Salzburg also had a good start with wins in Graz (2024) and Linz (2025). The New Year's atmosphere seems to suit the Red Bulls in general, as they have welcomed the new year as winners seven times in the last ten years. They have also played Linz at home after New Year's Eve before, winning 4-2 on January 1, 2011.
