Austria is also a hotspot for international clubs preparing for the European Championships this summer. Half of the German Bundesliga clubs and well-known teams such as AS Monaco, FC Porto and Saudi Arabia’s champion al-Hilal, led by Brazilian star Neymar, are setting up camp in the Alpine republic and also serving as sparring partners for the domestic clubs. Only the really big names are missing. But Jose Mourinho, a star coach, is already in the country.
04.07.2024 09.47
Online since today, 9.47 am
The 61-year-old Portuguese has been in Bad Waltersdorf with Fenerbahce Istanbul since Tuesday and, after his two-and-a-half-year stint with AS Roma, now wants to win more titles for the Turkish runners-up. Captain Edin Dzeko and Co. are also sure to receive support from the stands in Austria, with thousands of spectators expected at the test matches, including on Saturday in Maria Enzersdorf against second division side Admira.
Numerous top-flight clubs from Europe, but also Saudi Arabia, have appreciated the atmosphere, conditions and climate in Austria for years. After the CoV-related slump, bookings returned to the usual level in 2023 and, according to agency boss Hannes Empl, are also located there again this year. The absolute top clubs “solve” the issue differently, like Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, they go on a promotional tour to the USA. “The time will come when the big clubs will come back,” Empl is convinced.
picturedesk.com/EXPA/Pressesports Monaco coach Adi Hütter is preparing the French runners-up for the new season in his home country
“Longer-term contracts”
The Salzburg native with his agency SLFC, the IFCS of Kian Walizadeh from Styria and Heinz Rosenauer and his agency imFocus are the three major players in Austria who house “their” teams primarily in Salzburg, Upper Austria and Styria. The National Park Resort Dilly Windischgarsten in Upper Austria has also made a name for itself, attracting not only the ÖFB national team, but also clubs such as Monaco coached by Adi Hütter.
“Within Austria, things are pretty fair, the areas are marked out. And I think that we have the competition from abroad pretty well under control,” said Empl, who has been in the business since 2006. The quality of the pitches has improved significantly since then, and the issue of safety – including around test matches – is now a much bigger one. “To say that the whole thing is a sure-fire success would be an exaggeration, but there are long-term contracts, and people sign for three years.”
The local Bundesliga teams can also benefit from the numerous visiting teams. Champions Sturm Graz, for example, will play a friendly against Monaco in Windischgarsten on July 20th and will face FC Porto in their home arena on July 23rd. Four days before that, the Portuguese will be visiting Vienna’s Austria Wien in Favoriten. Salzburg already faced Panathinaikos on June 29th, and Olympique Lyon will face WSG in Wattens on July 19th.
Training camps of international clubs in Austria (selection)
Deutschland:
Union Berlin: July 13th to 19th in LängenfeldFC St. Pauli: July 15th to 25th in ScheffauSC Freiburg: July 17th to 26th in Schruns. Friendly match: July 19th against SCR AltachWerder Bremen: July 17th to 27th in Zillertal1. FC Köln: July 21st to 28th in Bad WaltersdorfTSG Hoffenheim: July 27th to August 3rd in KitzbühelHolstein Kiel: July 27th to August 4th in Seefeld1. FC Heidenheim: July 28th to August 3rd in Mils1. FSV Mainz 05: July 31st to August 7th in Hopfgarten-MarktVfL Wolfsburg: August 1st to 9th in Schladming
International:
Panathinaikos Athens: June 22nd to July 6th in SchladmingFC Basel: June 30th to July 7th in SeefeldNK Osijek: July 1st to 13th in Bad KleinkirchheimSlavia Prague: July 1st to 13th in KollerschlagFenerbahce Istanbul: July 2nd to 13th in Bad Waltersdorf. Friendly match: July 6th against Admira (Maria Enzersdorf)Racing Strasbourg: July 3rd to 14th in Windischgarsten. Friendly match: July 9th against WAC (Windischgarsten)Slovan Liberec: July 3rd to 12th in Aigen im MühlkreisFerencvaros Budapest: July 4th to 16th in LienzRoyal Antwerp: July 7th to 13th in WaidringFC Midtjylland: July 7th to 13th in Kaprun. Friendly match: July 13th against Sturm Graz (Irdning)Bröndby IF: July 7th to 14th in WalchseeDebreceni VSC: July 7th to 19th in Waidhofen an der Ybbs. Friendly match: July 13th against Rapid (Hausmening)Dynamo Kiev: July 7th to 20th in Fieberbrunn. Friendly match: July 9th against WSG TirolDinamo Zagreb: July 8th to 17th in Bad RadkersburgHNK Rijeka: July 8th to 18th in Schladming. Friendly match: July 17th against Red Bull Salzburg (Anif)Galatasaray Istanbul: July 9th to 18th in GeinbergReal Betis: July 10th to 20th in SeefeldFC Nantes: July 15th to 20th in Zell am SeeAS Monaco: July 15th to 21st in Windischgarsten. Friendly match: July 20th against Sturm Graz (Windischgarsten)FC Porto: July 15th to 24th in Bad Tatzmannsdorf. Friendly matches: July 19th against Austria Wien (Vienna) and July 23rd against Sturm Graz (Graz)Olympique Lyon: July 15th to 25th in Achenkirch. Friendly match: July 19th against WSG Tirol (Wattens)al-Ahli: July 15th to 27th in Freistadtal-Hilal: July 15th to August 3rd in Bad ErlachSlovan Bratislava: July 20th to 30th in WindischgarstenOGC Nice: July 21st to 27th in Windischgarsten
