Newspaper apologises after lumping Red Bull Salzburg together with Adolf Hitler and Josef Fritzl

The Swedish publication took things a little too far prior to the Champions League meeting between the Austrian side and Malmo FF

General view of the Red Bull Arena, home of FC Salzburg (GETTY IMAGES)

A Swedish newspaper that caused outrage in Austria after putting football club Red Bull Salzburg in the same bracket as Adolf Hitler and Josef Fritzl has apologised.

Ahead of tonight's Champions League play-off between the Austrian side and Swedish outfit Malmo FF, a journalist from tabloid paper Aftonbladet managed to squeeze arguably the two most infamous Austrians in history into the first sentence of a preview piece to the game.

Ronnie Sandahl started his article with: "Austria has not only given us Josef Fritzl and Adolf Hitler. There is also Red Bull Salzburg, the most hated football club of our time."

“When they play each other in the two decisive Champions League games people from all over the world will be support the Swedes.”

It was quickly picked up in Austria and apparently caused widespread anger, with the president of the nations's FA, Leo Windtner, saying it was "directed against the whole nation” and “unbelievably thoughtless” to use the leader of the Nazi party and the man who imprisoned, raped and fathered children with his own daughter over a 24 year period in such a manner.

Red Bull Salzburg revealed yesterday that Aftonbladet's editor-in-chief had been in contact to apologise.

Ralf Rangnick, sporting director of the Austrian outfit who play the first-leg of the Champions League play-off at home, said: “We have received a very personal email from the editor-in-chief in which he profusely apologises in the name of the paper and distances himself from these words. He has apologised to us formally and for us the matter is closed.”