For the second time this season, Jesse Marsch has lifted a trophy with Red Bull Salzburg.
Marsch and his players celebrated an Austrian Bundesliga title on Sunday following a 3-0 win over Hartberg at home. The former New York Red Bulls head coach and RB Leipzig assistant became the first American born and raised manager to win a European title and a domestic double.
It was Salzburg’s seventh-straight league title success and also their seventh domestic double in club history.
“It is a very special feeling for me,” Marsch said. “I have learned a lot this season and I am very grateful to the people in this club. Every day is a chance for improvement and our team has done it.”
? Jesse #Marsch: “Es ist ein sehr besonderes Gefühl für mich. Ich habe in dieser Saison sehr viel gelernt und bin den Menschen in diesem Verein sehr dankbar. Jeder Tag ist eine Chance auf Verbesserung und unsere Truppe hat dies geschafft.” #SERIENMEIS7ER pic.twitter.com/Rz3vrIeNGm
— FC Red Bull Salzburg (@RedBullSalzburg) June 28, 2020
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Marsch and Salzburg were also crowned Austrian Cup champions back in late May, defeating second division side Austria Lustenau by a 5-0 mark. The Cup Final win marked Marsch’s first piece of hardware since a 2015 Supporters’ Shield crown with the Red Bulls in MLS.
Salzburg got a major boost in claiming the league title earlier this Spring after moving into first place following league actions. Then-league leaders LASK was docked 12 points for breaking social distancing rules by conducting full training sessions before they were permitted.
Salzburg clinched the title with two matches remaining this season and will look to end with a pair of wins over Sturm Graz and LASK.
Marsch also helped Salzburg to a 2-1-3 record in the UEFA Champions League this season, earning a pair of wins over Belgian Pro League side Genk and a road draw at Serie A side Napoli. Salzburg also pushed current EPL winners Liverpool to the edge in 4-3 and 2-0 defeats also in group stage play.
Salzburg dropped into the Europa League Round of 32, but unfortunately were eliminated by Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt after a 6-3 aggregate scoreline.
Overall, Marsch has won 63% of his matches in charge of Salzburg, losing only six times in 44 combined efforts.
LASK won the regular season by 6 pts, credit to Jesse and the squad for righting the ship during the quarantine but LASK’s being docked points really benefited Salzburg.
i’m not sure i follow what you’re saying, Johnny. i’m looking at the table and it appears RB Salzburg is 11 points ahead of LASK so those 6 points are keeping LASK from being second place rather than first- right?
I’m just saying without the quarantine and the docked points I don’t know if Salzburg wins. Salzburg did beat them right before so maybe they would have anyway. LASK put people’s health in danger during a pandemic and deserved punishment but they never recovered and haven’t played the same since the break. RB have won 10 of the last 14 and finished second in the other 4.
Straight outta Wisconsin!
Jesse has been a real point of pride for all of us US Soccer fans, really. I hope he puts in another amazing campaign at Salzburg and then maybe gets a chance in the Bundesliga. His players love him, his tactical style is a pressing and attacking one that fans love, he seems to really work overtime to get to know the players and push them to be better as individuals and as a collective unit, and he seems to be a guy who really immerses himself in the community.
“became the first American born and raised manager to win a European title”
glad that born and raised caveat is in the article because the headline made me shout “John Caulfield!!”