9th round in the Austrian Bundesliga: SK Sturm Graz welcomes FC Red Bull Salzburg at the end of the match day. We report live (see below).
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The champions welcome their “vice” for the first big meeting of the season – but Sturm Graz and Red Bull Salzburg are not necessarily strengthened in the Bundesliga. Defeats in the Champions League have also led to discussions off the pitch in recent days. While goalkeeper Janis Blaswich is under close observation at Salzburg, Sturm fears for the whereabouts of sports director Andreas Schicker.
Image: GEPA pictures
“Everything else is up to Andi Schicker!”
The sports director could move to Hoffenheim during the upcoming international break; according to German media reports, there should already be an agreement. Schicker confirmed renewed contact with the German Bundesliga club during the CL appearance against Bruges. The Styrian had already made no secret of the fact that his goal was to work in Germany at some point.
Schicker has a “very open relationship” with Christian Ilzer, who he once guided to Graz, as Sturm’s coach noted on Friday. When asked whether it was his wish that Schicker stayed, Ilzer said: “My wish is that we beat Red Bull Salzburg on Sunday.” He “spoke clearly” with Schicker about the matter on Thursday. Ilzer didn’t want to reveal anything more. “Everything else is up to Andi Schicker,” he noted.
“Of course there is unrest in Salzburg!”
Sturm’s coach was more open when looking back on the defeat against Bruges (0-1) and looking forward. In the “absolute top game” in front of a sold-out house on Sunday, he expected another strong opponent at a high level. “Salzburg played a very good game against Brest for 60 minutes. Of course there is unrest at Salzburg after two defeats (in the CL, note), but they are still a very good team,” said Ilzer. “It is to be expected that we will be pushed to the limit.”
Image: GEPA
Ilzer doesn’t want to decide which team will start until Saturday – Sturm has one less rest day than Salzburg, who started on Tuesday. Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Gregory Wüthrich will no longer be an issue this calendar year. According to Ilzer, Gorenc Stankovic’s elbow operation went well, but it will still take up to ten weeks before the Slovenian can compete again. Wüthrich (knee) will also be out for ten to twelve weeks.
“No time to complain or make excuses!”
In Salzburg they have to deal with defensive weaknesses and the displeasure of their own fans after the 4-0 defeat against Stade Brest. There was even ridicule from the stands for goalkeeper Blaswich, who has since been called up to the German national team. There were loud calls for Alexander Schlager. Coach Pep Lijnders is facing the first difficult situation in Salzburg, although his team leads the Bundesliga table after points lost. The Dutchman is counting on the quick chance to turn the tide.
“In football, everything happens very quickly. On Tuesday we lost in the Champions League, on Sunday we’ll have another top game against league leaders Sturm Graz. There is no time to complain or make excuses,” said Lijnders. He called for the best possible preparation for the game in Graz “in order to be successful and show a reaction”.
In the four league duels last season there were three draws, once Salzburg won 1-0 away thanks to a goal from Mads Bidstrup and already thought they were on the way to another championship title. In the end Sturm laughed, just like in the cup semi-finals. Bidstrup now saw certain parallels to his rival. “In the last few days we have been working through the Brest game and trying to get this match out of our minds because we need all our strength for the duel with Sturm. The starting position is similar for both clubs,” said the Dane.
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