Having finished as runners-up in their debut season in the German top flight, RB Leipzig gained entry to continental football for the first time, specifically the 2017–18 Champions League for which Red Bull Salzburg had also qualified as Austrian champions; this raised the issue of a possible conflict of interest between the clubs due to the level of influence exerted by Red Bull over both teams and the close sporting relationship between them in various aspects.
[1][2][3] After examining the operational structures during June 2017, UEFA declared themselves satisfied under their regulations that the two clubs (particularly Salzburg) were suitably independent from the Red Bull corporation, and sufficiently distinct from one another, for both be admitted to their competitions.
[4][5] In the first season following that ruling, both reached the quarter-finals of the 2017–18 Europa League but did not play each other, with RB Leipzig eliminated by Olympique de Marseille who then also knocked out Salzburg in the semi-finals.
[6][7] RB Leipzig is one of the first clubs in history to qualify for the Champions League so soon (eight years) after its creation.
[8] Salzburg were the victors in both fixtures between the clubs (3–2 in Germany, 1–0 in Austria)[9][10] and also won all their other matches to top the group, while Leipzig failed to progress after dropping further points against Celtic and Rosenborg.