LIVE from 2.30pm: Sturm Graz welcomes the WAC | Cronan Zeitung | fan.at

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After the first defeat in the Champions League, Sturm Graz aims to defend its lead in the Bundesliga. WAC, third in the table, undefeated for three games, appears as a guest in Graz. This has often been very uncomfortable for the home team in the past. “We have to embrace the fight, this energy,” WAC coach Dietmar Kühbauer insisted.

Points have never been shared in Graz
His team has played one more game and they would even overtake the leader with feeling. The host would also be ahead in the direct balance for the Graz games. Both teams currently have eleven wins each, and there has never been a difference in points between the two in the history of the league in the Styrian capital.

After a stalemate at the start of the Champions League against Brest (1:2), the champions had firmly planned for victory in the “pack duel”. Ilzer’s team recently won four league games in a row, and the most dangerous defender in the league – the WAC already has 15 goals – must be faced with a new defense: Gregory Wüthrich, the leader of the line protection be out for a few weeks with a knee injury.

“… they will do it without any problem!”
The value of Wüthrich is obvious, said Kühbauer as he wished the player a speedy recovery. Sturm will undoubtedly present themselves as a “completely new” team despite the pressure of the European Cup, the WAC coach said. “If someone thinks they have to say something different, that’s not true. They have not played before, so they will do it without any problem. The match against Austria on Wednesday won’t be a problem either.”

news-embed-custom-image" tabindex="0">Image: GEPA/GEPA photos

Kühbauer says he felt a return to the roots of the Graz game. “At the beginning of the season they tried to play more positional. I think they have now gone back to their old style of play, which brought them success,” said Kühbauer, who had a lot of praise for the opponent. “Since Salzburg is still there, three titles in the last two years is a great achievement.

“I’d rather win 3-2 than 1-0!”
Kühbauer sees the intense playing style of the Graz team as a national benchmark, even if the Brest game showed that the duel style is different internationally. His team is in offensive shape, but they have already conceded ten goals. Only LASK and GAK had to suffer more. “I would rather win 3:2 instead of 1:0,” said Kühbauer. “The balance in the team at the moment is very good.”

In this regard, Ervin Omic, an important building block, will be missing. “Against Sturm you only need fit players,” Kühbauer said. “You can’t ‘laid-back’ (loosely) against them, you always have to be there in time.” This worked brilliantly in the 5-1 win against LASK, in Vienna against Austria (1-3) and in Altach (0:2) however, so good.

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