The gulf between the two sides was evident at the Red Bull Arena yesterday - though Salzburg coach Pep Lijnders described plenty of reasons for optimism at Sheffield Wednesday heading into the new campaign.

The Owls fell down 4-0 losers against a side that fell at the Champions League last 16 stage last season, conceding twice in each half as the Austrian side’s press and movement proved to be too much for a Wednesday side much earlier on in their pre-season programme than their European counterparts.

Danny Röhl named a separate line-up in each half as Red Bull Salzburg pressed on with their primary line-up for much of the match. Wednesday sought to play through the lines and had moments of real promise in a clash that the hosts otherwise had the better of. Lijnders’ outfit head into competitive football next weekend.

Recently departed as Jurgen Klopp’s right-hand man at Liverpool, Salzburg boss Lijnders spoke in detail about how his side had seen Wednesday’s likely approach and had every reason to believe they would do well in this season’s Championship from what he had seen on Saturday afternoon.

“When we analysed them, I think it was so important to know where they were coming from,” he told The Star. “We always saw that if we wanted to play a good game we had to respect what they were doing, a really good strong point for them was their double six and how they came behind our striker with one always free and how the wanted to combine.

“Second was their corners, though they didn’t have many I don’t think. Third was their counter attacks. They left strikers up there and one always up. There was a clear idea and I think if they really play like that, they will not leave it to the last match in the Championship.”

Wednesday survived on the last day of last season’s Championship with a stunning win at Sunderland that capped three wins on the spin - with loftier ambitions in place heading into next season. They take on Werder Bremen on Friday in the capping-off of their European training camp before welcoming La Liga outfit Leganes to Hillsborough for Liam Palmer’s testimonial. Excitement for their Championship opener at home to Plymouth Argyle is building and is set to take place on August 11.