Salzburg sign legend duo

Austrian league runners-up FC Salzburg have signed footballing legends Giovanni Trapattoni and Lothar Matthaus as their new management team, the club announced Friday.

Italian Trapattoni, the former Italy national coach, takes the post of sporting director for the club owned by drink manufacturer Red Bull and German World Cup winning captain Matthaus will be the first team coach.

"I am coming to Salzburg to achieve great things," declared a triumphant Trapattoni in a statement, although his last managerial role, at VfB Stuttgart in Germany, ended in an ignominious sacking midway through his first season.

However, it is only a year since "Trapp" secured his 19th managerial title, winning the Portuguese league with Benfica.

Matthaus' last coaching role was an initial success in Brazil at Atletico Paranaense before he did a disappearing act and refused to return to the club.

Matthaus, who has also coached Rapid Vienna, Partizan Belgrade and the Hungarian national team, will rejoin a man he played under at Bayern Munich.

"I am particularly delighted to be working with Giovanni, who was one of the best coaches I ever had," said the German.

Salzburg already has another footballing great, and another German World Cup winning captain, Franz Beckenbauer at the club as a sporting consultant.

Salzburg will play in the Champions League next season from the second qualifying round.