Matthias Jaissle will never forget his last visit to the Allianz Arena. It was one of the most anticipated matches in Bundesliga history.
In December 2008, Bayern Munich hosted Hoffenheim in an unlikely top-of-the-table clash. The champions faced a newly-promoted side who sat above them at the summit of the German top flight.
Hoffenheim, a bold 'village' team funded by local millionaire Dietmar Hopp, had gone from the eighth division to the Bundesliga in no time, and did not hide their ambition to be crowned champions in their first season among the elite.
They played fast and attacking football, won 11 matches out of their first 15, and arrived in Bavaria with a three-point advantage over Jurgen Klinsmann's side. Beat Bayern, and they would truly become title favourites.
That is certainly how Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick saw it. "I don't want to exchange shirts with them. I want their scalps," he said.
Jaissle was at the heart of the battle. The 20-year-old centre-back had been signed by Rangnick from the Stuttgart academy two years previously, and immediately proved himself as a very promising prospect.
He was key in the 2007-08 promotion campaign, and quickly established himself as one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga.
Getty/GOALThat night was the biggest occasion of his career to date. The spotlight was on him, too, as he was tasked with stopping Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni.
In a fiery encounter, played at extremely high tempo with numerous hard tackles, Hoffenheim took control, and went 1-0 up thanks to Vedad Ibisevic's goal after the break, prompting hugely emotional celebrations.
Jaissle was enjoying a superb game, only to slip when trying to close down Philipp Lahm, allowing the Bayern defender to net the equaliser.
Then, in injury time, Andreas Beck's unfortunate tackle on Klose sent the ball directly into Toni's path, and Jaissle could not prevent the Italy striker from sealing a dramatic victory.
Jaissle left the pitch angry and distraught, but also very proud. Hoffenheim were worthy participants in a truly historic game, and Germany coach Joachim Low began to seriously consider calling up some of their stars.
Jaissle was the most natural candidate. Central defence was not the strongest part of the Germany team at the time, and Jaissle was considered to be ahead of Mats Hummels, who was also born in 1988 and just making his first appearances for Borussia Dortmund that season.
He was scouted on a weekly basis, and Germany assistant coach Hansi Flick was in the stands when Hoffenheim hosted Hannover in March 2009.
However, that is where Jaissle's playing career effectively ended.
He ruptured knee ligaments in the second half, and never managed to truly recover and regain full fitness. Meniscus and Achilles tendon problems ruined comeback attempts in 2011, and he was eventually forced to announce his retirement in early 2014, more than a year after last playing for Hoffenheim's reserves.
Getty/GOAL"I really tried everything, but it wasn't to be," a tearful Jaissle announced. "I have no idea how exactly things will continue. I've got to let everything settle first."
That summer, Germany won the World Cup in Brazil. In a parallel universe, Jaissle would have been part of the squad; instead, he began studying management and played a lot of golf.
Luckily, Rangnick had a job to offer him.
"Ralf already saw a coach in me, even when I didn't think about it at all," Jaissle told Kicker in a recent interview.
The current interim Manchester United manager had been working as the sporting director for the Red Bull project in Salzburg and Leipzig since late 2012, and Jaissle was invited to join a trainee program in the youth department.
At Leipzig, he helped Sebastian Hoeness – now the Hoffenheim manager – with his Under-17s side, and the journey to Jaissle making his return to the Allianz Arena on Tuesday as Red Bull Salzburg manager began.
Jaissle became friends with then-Leipzig manager Alexander Zorniger, and when Zorniger was hired to take over at Brondby in 2016, he offered Jaissle a job as his assistant.
Rangnick liked what he saw and, in 2019, Jaissle returned to Red Bull to take over as a youth team coach at Salzburg.
He was seen as one for the future, a talented young manager who would eventually climb up the ladder. But that rise has been much faster than anyone could have expected.
In January 2021, Jaissle was promoted to manage FC Liefering – Salzburg's reserve team who play in the second division of Austrian football – following Bo Svensson's departure to take over at Mainz.
Then, in April, Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch was chosen to replace Bayern-bound Julian Nagelsmann at Leipzig at the end of the season, and Jaissle was immediately announced as his successor with the senior team.
Getty/GOALAt the age of 33, he is the youngest Salzburg coach ever, and 10 months younger than even Nagelsmann, who has become the poster boy for young European coaches in recent years.
"Matthias's qualities speak for themselves," Salzburg sporting director, Christoph Freund, said upon Jaissle's appointment. "I have known him for a few years already. He is young, ambitious and suits our club really well.
"The way he works and develops young players is exceptional. He was our ideal candidate as a result. He is not a big name yet, but we are all about giving young players and also young coaches a chance."
Fans were a little sceptical at the time, but Jaissle has managed to convince them of his abilities quickly. Under his tutelage, Salzburg play very fast and confident football that is reminiscent of Hoffenheim of 2008.
Even though the average age of the squad is just over 22, Salzburg are not afraid of taking on much more experienced opponents – something they have shown by reaching their target of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages for the first time.
Jaissle is an innovative coach, who looks for inspiration from unusual sources, including the New Zealand rugby union side.
He remembers his playing days quite well and, therefore, does not force his troops to go through things he hated himself, like long video sessions.
He sees himself as a young leader of a very young squad, whose main job is to establish the right team spirit. His players enjoy working as a unit, which makes effective high pressing much easier to achieve.
As with every Red Bull team, Salzburg aspire to win the ball immediately after losing it and move forward in fast transition.
Getty/GOALFate has now arranged for Jaissle to face off against Bayern and Nagelsmann in the last 16 of the Champions League, and he firmly believed in his team's chances of making it through, despite the tough draw.
The first leg in Austria proved that he was right to be so confident.
The underdogs were superior to their illustrious rivals, took an early lead through Chukwubuike Adamu, and should have scored additional goals before Kingsley Coman netted a dramatic 90th-minute equaliser.
For Jaissle, conceding a painful last-gasp goal against Bayern is a familiar feeling, but he has absolutely nothing to lose when he returns to Allianz Arena this week.
Bold and cocky like Rangnick's Hoffenheim, he would never dream of playing defensively, even against one of the most potent attacking lines in the world.
Just like in December 2008, he wants to win. Rangnick may well tune in from Manchester, too – and he will not be neutral in his support, either.
