“La Real could suffer from Salzburg transfers”

Jonathan Soriano (Rocafort and Vilumara, Barcelona, ​​​​​​​​1985) can speak with sincerity about RB Salzburg, a team where he played 200 games and scored a whopping 169 goals and is Real Sociedad’s open rival in the Champions League. Two years after hanging up his boots, he is now commentating on matches on DAZN and TV3.

How do you see this match tomorrow between Salzburg and Real?

On paper, with all the cards on the table, Real are a step above Salzburg. We cannot deny it. For the team and for the players. They have higher quality football players to solve the match. But the bad thing about Real is that they face a Salzburg team that has no known players, but is very hungry. Furthermore, for Salzburg playing against Real is a gift.

What is your strength?

What they want is to show things in every game. They already did it against Benfica. It put them in their favor for relegation, but they needed to win 0-2 in Lisbon. I think they lost respect in Salzburg, they were considered a small team from Austria, but then the game started and you saw that they were on motorcycles. If you don’t go out with concentration and intensity, you may be surprised.

It’s a kind of crack factory…

Yes. Since my time, the philosophy has changed a lot, not so much in the game but in buying and selling players. Today it remains a factory of young talents. They sign them when they are very young and train them, turning them into professionals by playing in the Austrian league and in European competitions. They are 20 or 21 year old footballers, very good and experienced.

Haaland, Sesko, Mané, Nkunku went through there…

The good thing about Salzburg is that it hasn’t remained a flash in the pan. Mané, Keyta, Minamino, Upamecano came out in my time… It is not from now, although it is true that it became more famous because Haaland, Adeyemi, Szoboszlai… came out, who are the ones who reached highest level. They work very well with scouting. These players can easily compete in the league, but the squads are made to provide a good level in Europe. It’s a PSG in Austria. They won the league comfortably and want to do a good job in Europe and meet new players.

What do we need to hide from the current group?

It has no outstanding player, which stands out from the rest. Salzburg wants to differentiate itself from others by being a team. They have a different playing philosophy than others, based on intensity. These are young players they can always give intensity, they run all the time. They hit the opposite field very well and make very quick and very dangerous moves. This is what sets them apart. La Real, with its control of the ball and its intention to go from one side to the other, can suffer in transitions at the time of theft.

In fact, the team in the entire Champions League recovered the most balls (57) and committed the most fouls (19) on day one….

They are not afraid. They play against Benfica without fear and against Real they will do the same. They seek to steal in the opposite field and leave very quickly. It was already done when I was there. The closer you steal to the opponent’s area, the fewer meters you have to travel to score a goal. This philosophy works for them.

In reviewing the squad, there are no big names, who is Jonathan Soriano staying with?

To give you a name, I will give you Konaté. He is a strong forward, very fast, very vertical, follows this philosophy of Salzburg. Simic was also there who was very young and played in the reserve team when I was there. He is a scorer, perhaps not very aesthetically pleasing, a little rough in his movements, but very aggressive and always looking for the opponent’s goal. They don’t stop running, touching, many fall on the wing, very vertical. The center backs Pavlovic and Solet are very strong and try to be the backbone of the team. But when Real start playing, Salzburg will suffer, no matter how much power they want to put into it. If you move the ball quickly, there will be a moment when your feet are out of reach.

What do you like about Real?

Apart from the whole, individual situations need to be mentioned here. We have to talk about Oyarzabal, Merino, Brais, Barrene, Zubimendi… I can tell you 14. We are talking about a different level. La Real is a group and individuality. He came from giving an exhibition against Athletic in the derby, which was not easy. Maybe they are one of the two or three teams fighting to get into the Champions League in the League. He is favorite to be fourth.

You mentioned a lot of youth players, you claim that you are a Spanish youth player, that you came to Barça as a father, what value do you give to the youth team?

I love Real’s philosophy, not wanting to get into crazy price wars for players. This is a good example. He puts the players at home to play so they can start gaining experience. You save money and then it’s nice to see a team with so many youth players. The fan feels he is recognized by the players he follows from the cadets and youth.

Real interested in you…

Yes, it will come back in 2014 or 2015, but there is no real interest because Red Bull Salzburg always told me that they will not negotiate with anyone for my departure. Then everything dissolved.

And did you play in Anoeta?

Yes, the old one, the one with slopes. It was in Spanish, my last time there. I think it’s 1-1. 2006, 2007 or later. Pandiani scores. It has nothing to do with the current Anoeta. That is appreciated. As I claim the quarry, I reject the fields with athletics tracks. I ate it at Montjuïc, with the Spanish. It has nothing to do with it. I want to warm up and shake hands with the fans.

What is the Salzburg field, the RB Arena, in that sense?

La Real will not go to ‘hell’. It’s a quiet pastime. There is a cheering stand behind the goal; but they are people who come to watch football. The sport there is snow, but they enjoy seeing the Champions League and big teams. It did not drag the tides.

A prediction?