Preview of Salzburg vs LASK and Other Key Matches in the Austrian Bundesliga

With LASK and Salzburg, the only undefeated teams in the championship group meet. LASK trainer Didi Kühbauer noted in advance that it had perhaps never been as close as this year between Salzburg and the Bundesliga competition. “But we have to leave the church in the village that Salzburg is definitely the best team in terms of squad quality,” he said. In the fourth attempt this season, it should work with three points against the defending champion. “We’ll have to do everything we can to beat them. However, our aim is to beat them with a good performance. My players are all determined to put in a good game.”

“LASK is having a very, very good season. The team has only lost one game in the league so far this spring. That says it all,” said Salzburg coach Matthias Jaissle, paying tribute to the opponent. Personnel concerns continue to plague the German and his team. They are even stronger this week because Nicolas Capaldo and Strahinja Pavlovic are suspended. “It’s quite a challenge. But we will find solutions this time too and put a good team on the pitch because we trust every player in our squad,” said the German.

In the championship duel with Salzburg, Sturm has his sights set on the next win. The Styrians, who are three points behind the leaders, are aiming for their fourth win in a row at home against Austria Klagenfurt and also want to take revenge for the recent showdown with the Carinthians in the Merkur Arena. On February 25, it lost 2-1 to Peter Pacult’s team. The people of Klagenfurt, on the other hand, are flirting with the chance of a place in the European Cup.

The stadium in Graz-Liebenau is sold out with around 16,000 spectators, the season so far with the cup victory and the chance of the double has caused euphoria among the “Blackys” fans. “We are there to offer something to the fans. It is our job to arouse emotions and deliver passion, coupled with good football,” explained coach Christian Ilzer. In the recent past, this has mostly been successful. “We’ve had some really big moments in the last few months.” For a new highlight, however, maximum concentration is required.

For Pacult there is no doubt about the distribution of roles. “Sturm is the clear favourite.” The Viennese trusts the hosts to make a big splash. “They have less pressure because Salzburg has to become champions. Sturm want to become champions, but don’t have to. They also already have a title, anything else would be an addition – and a very big one at that, because the championship is above the cup.”

Austria against Rapid also goes into the next round. In the third big Viennese derby in the last eight rounds of the Bundesliga, the focus is on the duel for fourth place in the sold-out Generali Arena. With the first success against Violett since autumn 2019, Rapid could create the perhaps decisive cushion in the race for the last European Cup fixed place. Austria draws strength from recent appearances against Grünweiß. 2: 1, 2: 0, 3: 3 – the favorites had more to laugh about against Rapid this season than their city rivals. In the 340th duel, a complete success would help the home side in particular.

“If I tell the team we don’t want to lose, it would be wrong. We can read the table,” said Austria coach Michael Wimmer, two points behind Rapid. In the event of a tie, the Hütteldorfer would be ranked first due to the rounding off in the division of points. Wimmer expected “an opponent who also wants to win, who is snappy and greedy”. Rapid coach Zoran Barisic confirmed Wimmer’s thesis. “Going for a draw is not our philosophy and not our way of playing football. We will attack there and want to take three points,” explained the Viennese.

Personally, there are question marks with the violets. Andreas Gruber has been suffering from an ankle ligament injury since the Sturm game and only started training on Friday. “We have to see if it’s enough on Sunday,” explained Wimmer. Matthias Braunöder and Georg Teigl (both gastrointestinal infections) had to take a break on Friday due to illness. A candidate for the starting eleven is Doron Leidner. According to Barisic, Rapid is also struggling with some battered players. Aleksa Pejic, among others, is questionable, otherwise Barisic did not name any names in this context. The 54-year-old was optimistic. “Everything is possible. We go into the game with confidence.”