Austria Salzburg v Red Bull Salzburg: A derby quite like no other
Austria Salzburg v Red Bull Salzburg will serve up something special.
It's the first time the clubs have met each other in a competitive match, but they are more than well acquainted.
Red Bull Salzburg, known throughout Europe for their ability to nurture top talent (even if the majority of them seemingly 'graduate' to RB Leipzig in Germany), don't entirely smell of roses.
In their home city, there are a lot of passionate fans who look at the club as a betrayal from the ever-growing business side of the footballing world.
History
Back in 2005, the club known now as Red Bull Salzburg was called 'Austria Salzburg' and typically played in purple - not the red and white we're now familiar with.
The new owner was, obviously, energy drinks giant Red Bull, and the ownership opted to rebrand the then 72-year-old club and declare it 'a new club with no history'.
As jarring as it was, this idea was then walked back after a push from the Austrian FA, who forced Red Bull to recognise the club's history.
But Red Bull did get their way where it mattered as the company was able to rename the club, rebrand the crest and alter the colours associated with the team.
Pushback
Naturally, loyal fans of the club formerly known as Austria Salzburg resisted these tyrannical changes - but not everyone was so resistant and new supporters arrived.
The fanbase was split between the 'violet whites' and the 'red whites', with the former voicing their concerns, but ultimately losing the battle for the club they loved.
A number of months after the takeover of what was now called Red Bull Salzburg, those loyal fans helped launch a 'phoenix club' of sorts, aptly named Austria Salzburg, which adopted the old crest and colours.
Fast-forward 18 years and the two clubs that share so much history, whether one side would like to admit it or not, face-off in the national cup.
As you may imagine it's a bit of a mismatch in terms of both teams' abilities, but it's sure to be a spectacle nonetheless.
