No1 urges Salzburg to seize moment

Goalkeeper Eddie Gustafsson believes FC Salzburg "have proved we can do it when it counts", with the team captain hoping fervent home support can help the Austrian champions build up a first-leg advantage in their play-off against Maccabi Haifa FC.

Partisan support
With three wins in their first four Austrian Bundesliga games and impressive performances against Bohemian FC and NK Dinamo Zagreb in UEFA Champions League qualifying, Salzburg have given fans good reason to create the partisan atmosphere the 32-year-old believes could make the difference against Haifa. "Most importantly we hope we will win and we know we have the fans here on our side at our own place," he said. "We need to be clever and use the qualities we know we have within the team. Naturally, we are not sure how it will be in Israel when we go there but we know our home and what to expect when we walk out [on Wednesday] evening."

Positive visualisation
Capped nine times by Sweden, Gustafsson is already visualising a place in the group stage for his side: "When I was younger it was my dream to play in the Champions League as it is for most young kids. I was a Real Madrid and Inter Milan fan so to meet either of these teams in the group stage would be a dream if we could get that far. We feel we have proved we can do it when it counts. I believe reaching the Champions League group stage is realistic; we know Maccabi are an attacking team and of course there is more pressure for a goalkeeper when up against attacking teams, but we know we must stay strong, keep control and then use all our opportunities when we create them. I expect us to show that Salzburg play good football."

Key role
Meanwhile, Maccabi captain Yaniv Katan knows there is a lot of riding on his own performance if his team are to emerge with a fighting chance of appearing in the group stage for the first time since their maiden campaign in 2002/03. "We can do it," he said. "I played in the Champions League last time so obviously it is a big match for me and the club. I'm positive we can do it; I know I have an important role, maybe a key role, and a lot will depend on me, but at the end of the day football is a team sport and everyone must give their maximum to be successful."