Aaronson's Late Goal Against Wolfsberger

On This Day in 2022, Aaronson Continued His Most Productive Season to Date

Brenden Aaronson's star continued to rise in February 2022, with the American midfielder adding another highlight to what was already proving to be a breakthrough season for Red Bull Salzburg. The 21-year-old's campaign was firm in his second season in Europe, accumulating four goals and eight assists across 29 appearances in all competitions.

His growing influence was best displayed in Salzburg's impressive UEFA Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Bayern Munich on February 16. Against the Bundesliga giants, Aaronson showcased his creative abilities by providing a clever flicked assist to Chukwubuike Adamu, becoming just the fourth U.S. international to record an assist in the Champions League knockout stages. The Medford, New Jersey native nearly doubled his impact minutes later, forcing Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich into a diving save with a well-struck left-footed effort.

The performance against Bayern had caught the attention of clubs across Europe. Leeds United had already shown their interest through a $20 million bid in the January transfer window, an offer that Salzburg deemed insufficient for their prized midfielder.

Four days after the Bayern clash on February 20, Aaronson demonstrated his remarkable stamina and quality by delivering another standout performance in Salzburg's crucial league matchup against second-placed Wolfsberger. Despite the quick turnaround from Champions League action, he showed no signs of fatigue as he played the full 90 minutes.

His impact on the game peaked in the closing stages when he scored Salzburg's second goal to secure a 2-0 victory. The sequence exemplified Aaronson's box-to-box abilities, as he initiated the attack with a long pass from midfield before making a decisive run into the penalty area. When Maurits Kjaergaard delivered a low cross from the left, Aaronson was perfectly positioned at the far post to finish from just outside the six-yard box.

The victory extended Salzburg's lead at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga to 17 points, putting them firmly on course for another league title. However, the momentum of Aaronson's stellar season would face an unexpected setback following this match. A knee injury would force him to withdraw from the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with the U.S. Men's National Team, where he had been the only player to appear in all 11 matches of the qualifying campaign at the time. The MCL injury would sideline him for a month and a half, temporarily halting what had been a some solid form for both club and country.