The Vienna Derby does not look at the table

Rapid appears as a guest in Austria, the last group without a win. The 333rd duel of city rivals still does not know the classic role of the candidates.

Vienna. The signs ahead of the 333rd Vienna Football Derby between Rapid and Austria today (5pm, Live Sky) couldn’t be more clear: While Violets are last in the table, Rapid is third and once again qualified for the Europa League. group stage. “We are now dismantling the old phrase that there is no favourite,” Rapids Sport’s managing director, Zoran Parisic, said on Friday. However, the statistics also show his team as such, because Hütteldorfer is unbeaten in four duels (one victory).

“It’s a match we want to win,” coach Dietmar Koebauer said before the next away game in Favoriten. “We know what to do. That’s the deciding factor.” In terms of personnel, he can count almost completely, the only wobbly candidate being goalkeeper Richard Stringer, who has a shoulder injury. There was a candid tribute from Rapid coach to his counterpart Manfred Schmid in Austria. Schmidy did one thing right, which was he took all the pressure off the team before the season started. He really said they had to work hard for two years.” “You can see that they have played better and better in the last few weeks. I think the team is better than it is now.”

Schmid himself assessed the current situation in Austria as “strange”. “We really did – especially recently against Sturm (Note 2: 2) – we did really well,” said the 50-year-old. Although unsuccessful, the distribution kit is by no means a moped. Schmid noted the “confidence and confidence” of his representatives in daily exercises. “I have a feeling that something is developing, and the mood is good. That’s why I feel really good.”

Once again in front of the fans

The fact that the derby is rising in front of spectators for the first time since December 2019 raises expectations among all involved. “For me it was always the best match to win at your stadium. We are all eager to celebrate the victory there with our fans on Sunday,” said Rapid captain Maximilian Hoffmann. Last season, local duels in front of nearly empty booths were ‘a bit strange.’ The Arena is full on Sunday. However, you must stay with the condition, because Austria has not offered tickets for sale. Regardless of the guest sector, tickets are reserved for members or subscribers, which causes green and white resentment.⫻

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