Sturm Graz against Red Bull Salzburg is the best that the Austrian Bundesliga currently has to offer compared to the previous season. On Saturday (7.30 p.m.) there will be the first meeting of the season in Graz. The 1:2 on April 27th was the last defeat of the “bulls”, who want to take revenge. Before that (5 p.m.) Altach and Wolfsberger AC meet in Altach. At the same time, Ried welcomes the newly promoted Lustenau.
For the Styrians, the match is the start of hot weeks in which participation in the Champions League is also at stake. “The intensive phase begins on Saturday, followed by top games and top challenges. We have to succeed in calling up our maximum potential,” warned Sturm coach Christian Ilzer on Thursday. After Salzburg, the Ukrainian record champions Dynamo Kyiv are waiting for a storm in the third qualifying round of the Champions League on Wednesday. Departure to Lodz is on Tuesday.
Even after the umpteenth reorganization of the team over the summer, Salzburg quickly found their rhythm again. Be it in the Cup or in the Bundesliga, Austria was beaten 3-0 last week. There was also a sense of achievement in the friendly test against Liverpool on Wednesday with a narrow 1-0 win. “Of course we’re very happy about the successful start against Austria, but we can put it into context quite well. We’ve already done some things very well. However, we still have room for improvement in some areas, we’re not yet at 100 percent “, explained coach Matthias Jaissle.
Altach and Wolfsberger AC, on the other hand, went without a win in the first round of the Bundesliga. Before the duel on Saturday (5:00 p.m.), a parallel catches the eye, as a German coach is responsible for fate there as well as there. However, Altach’s Miroslav Klose and WAC coach Robin Dutt did not want to come up with any memorable points of contact during their creative phase in the neighboring country on Friday. “Maybe I can’t remember that,” said Klose.
Altach suffered a 2-1 defeat against Hartberg last week, and now the DFB record scorer can let his eleven out on the pitch for the first time in the league in the Cashpoint Arena. “I’m in good spirits and very confident,” said the 2014 world champion. Klose spoke of a “very good week of training. That’s why we tried out and rehearsed a lot of things and worked up the last game very properly.”
WAC trainer Dutt does not see his team as favorites after the 1-1 draw at home against Sturm Graz. “There are no big favorites in this stadium, except maybe Salzburg. Everyone else has to work their way into the league first,” he said. “It’s a tough away game that will be played at even level, hopefully with a better ending for us.” The first steps against the storm were “quite okay”. “Of course we still have room for improvement in terms of play up front. Something still has to happen as far as the remaining defense is concerned.”
Promoted Lustenau wants to continue his “terrific story” (coach Markus Mader) from the start of the season in the second round of the Bundesliga on Saturday. The 2-1 win over WSG Tirol should inspire the Ländle squad six days later at SV Ried. Ried, on the other hand, regained self-confidence despite the late 1-0 defeat at Rapid.
“It was extremely bitter. But we can build on this performance,” said Christian Heinle, whose team in Hütteldorf was only “sunk” by Bernhard Zimmermann’s goal in the 77th minute. “We still have to manage to reward ourselves for the numerous opportunities.” The game against Lustenau is the opportunity to take the next step. “We’re not as far along as I want to be,” said Heinle.
He was aware that you were dealing with a “highly motivated climber”. “Lustenau won the first game and is very euphoric about it. They also play very bravely. The worst thing would be if we underestimated Lustenau. We don’t do that with any opponent anyway, but it would be really bad with a promoted team.” In any case, Rieder will have to cope with the long absence of Nikola Stosic (torn cruciate ligament), who, like after his failure in the 16th minute, will probably be replaced by the 22-year-old German Michael Martin.