“Challenge” for league leader Sturm Graz

In the past few weeks, the Violets have managed to beat visitors Plau Weiss Linz 4-0, 2-0 in Tyrol, 0-0 in the Vienna derby (with two men less) and a confident cup win 4-0 in St. Anna is gaining self-confidence. Austria last played with four consecutive clean sheets in the summer of 2016, during the 2015-16 and 2016-17 seasons. This was last achieved during a single season with Heinz Lindner in August 2013 against Dinamo Zagreb. Neustadt, Rapid and Hafnarfjordur.

“It’s always better to train when you’ve had success before – it makes you laugh more. Basically, the mood in the team has always been good. It wasn’t all bad before, but it’s not all good now either – it’s… The results recently are absolutely correct. It is better that we continue to work, continue to trust the players and thus give them the opportunity to develop.

With Sturm Graz, Austria awaits the current league leaders on Sunday. Christian Elzer’s side have won eight out of 11 matches this season and remain unbeaten this Bundesliga campaign. That’s why Sturm is laughing at the top of the standings after half the regular season, four points ahead of Red Bull Salzburg, favorites to win the title. The Styrians clearly won the first duel of the season in the first round in Vienna-Favoriten 3-0. On Thursday evening, Sturm managed to draw 2-2 with Atalanta Bergamo in the Europa League, when he outnumbered them:

“We need 100% passion.”

“I watched the match yesterday and it was impressive how strong and intense Sturm showed. You definitely deserved to get a point against a top Italian team. We can expect a match on Sunday where the opponent will, as always, show an aggressive and intense style of play. “We have to face it with the same aggression, be stable defensively and play forward with courage when we have the ball,” says Michael Wimmer, who does not expect the opponent to be tired.

“I don’t think the storms will affect the English week. They have a really good and broad team. I think a game like yesterday pushes rather than paralyzes. So we will need 100 percent passion to play a good game there.”

Staff News

Fig Plafotik He is still off the field, but he is already training individually on the field and will soon be able to return to team training. Marvin Botzman He has been sick since Tuesday and is therefore a doubt. Lucas Galvao This certainly does not pose a problem for the team on Sunday, but the experienced centre-back could already take part in parts of team training again and could be an option again for the round of 16 of the cup next Wednesday against Austria Klagenfurt. Otherwise, long-term sufferers are missing Ziad Al-Shiwi, Florian Stenger, and Marco Ragoz.