Jesse Marsch’s RB Salzburg side fought back from 3-0 down and were drawing 3-3 at at reigning European champions Liverpool on Wednesday.
The first American to coach in the UEFA Champions League deserved his wild celebrations at Anfield.
Marsch’s upstarts (Salzburg have never competed in the UCL group stage before) eventually lost 4-3 as Mohamed Salah scored a late winner, but the moment Erling Haaland made it 3-3 will live long in the memory of Marsch and fans of the Austrian champions.
“We have seen we can play at this level, when we play our football, we always have a chance,” Marsch said. “I am very proud of the team and it is important that we learn from this evening.”
Take a look at the video of below as Marsch had his Jose Mourinho moment as he hurtled down the sidelines at Anfield and towards the Salzburg fans in the Anfield Road end.
There have been some suggestions in world soccer (and particularly among British fans and pundits such as Peter Crouch) that Marsch’s celebrations were over the top.
But remember, just five years ago he was the assistant coach of Princeton University and now he’s coaching in the Champions League and going toe-to-toe with the reigning champs. After a long journey via the New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact and a stint as an assistant coach at RB Leipzig, Marsch deserves this.
The former USMNT assistant coach wasn’t even interviewed for the U.S. men’s national team job the last time it came up.
Let that sink in, then imagine what Marsch could perhaps do as USMNT boss in the future.
The high-pressing style his young, well-drilled squad put out there has taken the UCL by storm and they are set to become the darlings of Europe’s elite club competition.
