Rapid needs another magical night in Florence tonight

A full stadium, floodlights and a deserved 1-0 win over Fiorentina. Talk of a “magical night” was justified in the Vienna Hotelldorf a week ago. In the second leg of the Conference League qualifiers, the Vienna team narrowly leads at the Artemio Franchi Stadium in the Tuscan capital.

Meanwhile, the Austrian record champions will have to brace themselves for plenty of headwinds on the way to today’s group stage. Florence’s fury is set to descend on the green and white today if the hosts achieve their goal. In the first half of the first half, they let themselves completely unravel and got a good serve from the fact that “only” Marco Groll was able to put the ball in on goal from the penalty spot. Rapid have regained their confidence, scoring twelve goals in their last four games and don’t want to feel let down by a 1-1 league loss against Tyrol at the weekend, “because we had plenty of chances, the opponents actually didn’t.” I had no aim and only a shot of a thousand guilders.”

And his players see it that way with regard to Fiorentina. “You saw in the first leg what can happen. Now we want to make the impossible possible for many,” says goalkeeper Niklas Heidel. Heidl says he wants to be there when he’s needed. The goalkeeper leads a fast, solid defence, which has yet to concede Only three goals in nine competitive matches in all competitions: “As long as it’s zero again, I’m happy,” Heidl smiles.

“Life insurance” and root defense are missing

But it’s precisely on defense that the Rapidlers are having to change early this fall. New chief of defense Nenad Cvetkovic suffered a cruciate ligament tear, and full-back Torsten Cech is not available today due to muscle problems. However, Hoteldorfer should be on Terence Kongolo from Fulham. Young Moritz Oswald must help today.

Barisic is also worried about the attack. “Life Assurance” Guido Burgstaller is sick and no problem to trade blows today, “Reserve” last year Bernhard Zimmermann on loan from the WAC. New acquisition Thierry Gill (21) came to Vienna from Georgia just on Tuesday. Even Grüll could storm the front line today. Perhaps for the last time, the fast-paced attacking man is in huge demand and could fetch multi-million transfer fees.