2023-05-19 14:01:04
After the last three defeats in a row and six games without a win, Rapid has to get back on track in the home game against LASK on Sunday – otherwise there is a risk of a season extension or even missing out on international business. Three laps before the end, the Hütteldorfer are only in fifth place, which means they will play in the European Cup play-off and thus two more games.
If green and white slip down to sixth place in the Bundesliga championship group, they could concentrate exclusively on national tasks in 2023/24. Nevertheless, coach Zoran Barisic tried to spread optimism. “We will try to follow our plan. We want to win, do a good job and entertain the fans positively and well,” announced the Viennese.
So far, more than 17,000 fans have secured tickets for the duel with the third-placed team. It seems entirely possible that some of them will express their displeasure with the recent performances. Most recently, after the 1: 3 in the derby, “We’re fed up” calls. “I assume that the team will be fully supported,” said Barisic.
There is no coaching discussion in Vienna-Hütteldorf, and Barisic is not worried about his job either. Rather, it is important to the coach to keep the mental strain on the Rapid pros low as a result of the deteriorating mood around the club. “I try to isolate the team as much as possible so that they prepare as well as possible for the next task. It’s important that you don’t let these things get to you so that you have a clear mind.”
Barisic appealed to everyone involved to pull together. “Right now it’s important to stick together. It’s easy when you’re delivering results that you say, ‘Hiphip Hooray’.”
The defeat against Austria has been worked through, there is again a “positive energy” within the team. “We know that we’ve always shown very good performances at home recently. We’ll approach the game with a lot of courage and confidence,” said Barisic, emphasizing: “I’m assuming that the team got the turnaround.”
The 52-year-old can fall back on the recovered Jonas Auer and Thorsten Schick, at LASK Robert Zulj, who was last suspended in the 0-1 draw against Red Bull Salzburg, comes back. The people of Linz would be at least third with one point on Sunday and thus definitely in a European Cup group phase.
Coach Dietmar Kühbauer has big plans at his old place of work. “At the end of the season it’s time to get everything we have in our tanks. We’re looking forward to a game in front of a great crowd on Sunday and want to take something away from Hütteldorf. We’ve proven many times this season that we can hold our own in games like this – we want to confirm that again this time,” explained the Burgenlander.
sport/fussball/bundesliga/73297410.xml"/> 1684505200
#Rapid #hoping #turnaround #home #game #LASK