We take a look at the goings on at our opponents…
Say howdy to Schöpf and Hinteregger, and goodbye to Biereth and Ljubicic – there have been loads of big-name actions amongst our rivals within the ADMIRAL Bundesliga over the winter break! Earlier than we lastly get again to enterprise this weekend, we have now summarised the modifications at Austria’s high golf equipment over latest weeks in our opposition evaluation.
SK Sturm Graz | 1st place – 36 factors
There was loads afoot at Sturm over the winter – with interim coach Jürgen Säumel appointed on a everlasting foundation and sporting director Michael Parensen additionally having his palms full!
Two key gamers have left the champions in Mika Biereth (AS Monaco) and Jusuf Gazibegovic (Cologne). Manprit Sarkaria has additionally departed (SZ Peng Metropolis), albeit he was taking part in for the reserves within the autumn, as has mortgage participant Erencan Yardimci (return to TSG Hoffenheim). They’ve gained former Speedy striker Fally Mayulu from Bristol Metropolis on a six-month mortgage in addition to signing 19-year-old full-back Emran Soglo from the Olympique Marseille youth ranks.
The massive winter reshuffle has clearly left its impression on the Graz outfit. Each a pleasant in opposition to HNK Rijeka and a cup tie in opposition to Austria Vienna have been misplaced 0-2. Kiteishvili & Co confirmed that they nonetheless have it, nonetheless, with a 1-0 UEFA Champions League win at residence to RB Leipzig.
It is not lengthy till we lock horns in an enormous conflict – on Sunday 2 March at 17:00 at our Purple Bull Enviornment. Tickets are already obtainable
FK Austria Vienna | 2nd place – 33 factors
Maybe the largest surprises of the season to date had a quieter winter break. Matteo Schablas of FC Liefering was signed – however instantly went out on mortgage. Marvin Martins additionally left the membership for the Netherlands, whereas Muharem Huskovic and Matteo Meisl have exited on loans. Two pleasant wins and a draw are indicators that the primary half of the season was no fluke – an impression strengthened by a shocking 2-0 away win at reigning champions Sturm Graz within the cup quarter-finals. Austria Vienna are usually not a aspect you wish to rule out of the working for the rest of the season.
We nonetheless should journey to Vienna to face Austria – on Matchday 19 on 22 February ().
SK Speedy Vienna | third place – 28 factors
Identical to their rivals throughout the capital, Speedy are looking for to construct on a really promising autumn. They’ve strengthened their central midfield over the break with Romeo Amane – a 21 year-old Ivorian who joins from BK Häcken in Sweden. Deadline day loans of Ercan Kara (who’s again at Speedy) and Andrija Radulovic are designed to spice up the assault.
There have not been too many outgoings for the Inexperienced and Whites. Maximilian Hofmann and Bernhard Zimmermann left the membership on free transfers, whereas Samuel Horak and Dennis Kaygin left on mortgage and the mortgage deal of Ryan Mmaee was terminated early – however the important thing gamers from the primary half of the season have all remained.
The Bundesliga opener in opposition to WAC on Saturday would be the first large check of the brand new yr for Speedy Vienna. Their preparation interval was lower than spectacular with 1-0 wins in opposition to each St. Pölten and Blau-Weiß Linz, with Klauß’s XI but to have a aggressive tie in 2025.
Wolfsberger AC | 4th place – 26 factors
WAC have been energetic proper on the finish of the switch window! The Wolves are in a position to welcome Anderson Niangbo again to the Austrian Bundesliga, whereas there’s one other former Austrian worldwide of their ranks with Alessandro Schöpf. Ivorian pair of Claude Kouakou and Abou Sylla have been unveiled as last-minute additions on Thursday afternoon.
They’ve began the brand new yr nicely – with a 3-1 win within the UNIQA ÖFB Cup in opposition to second-tier SW Bregenz placing Didi Kühbauer’s aspect within the semi-finals.
WAC are visiting us to complete the common season on Sunday 16 March.
FC Blau-Weiß Linz | sixth place – 23 factors
The beginning of the second season from the newly promoted aspect from Austria’s metal metropolis has been a promising one, however they’re nonetheless trying to construct. Thomas Turner from SKN St. Pölten is boosting the Linz goalkeeping ranks, whereas 20-year-old defending specialist Elias Bakatukanda has been taken on mortgage from Cologne. The younger defender will fill a vacant place that arose after the retirement of Silvan Wallner in November 2024. Scheiblehner’s aspect ended their preparation interval with a 0-1 loss to Speedy Vienna and go straight right into a derby away to LASK!
LASK | seventh place – 20 factors
From one Linz membership to the opposite. We have now already seen, sadly, within the cup quarter-final that new signing Samuel Adeniran is a helpful addition, with the American scoring the decisive objective with a header in extra-time. Markus Schopp has added a number of different new faces to his aspect: with Ismaila Coulibaly approaching a free switch from Sheffield United into central midfield, Mohamed Sanogo doing likewise from First Vienna and two wingers becoming a member of on deadline day – Christoph Lang from SK Speedy Vienna and Krystof Danek from Sparta Prague (on mortgage).
New additions appear needed with LASK simply outdoors the championship group at current and with two key gamers leaving in Marin Ljubicic (to Union Berlin) and Maksym Talovierov (to Plymouth Argyle). Jörg Siebenhandl, Rene Renner, Tomas Galvez and Tomas Tavares all additionally left the membership over the winter.
TSV Hartberg | eighth place – 20 factors
It is not solely Raphael Hofer (of our Purple Bulls) who went to Hartberg over the break (on mortgage in his case) as Emmanuel Ojukwu has additionally joined from Wiener SC, Jed Drew from Australia and Muharem Huskovic (on mortgage) from Austria Vienna. Loans from Onurhan Babuscu, Aaron Sky Schwarz and Charlie Osborne have all been ended, nonetheless.
Manfred Schmid’s aspect took a 1-1 draw within the preparation interval in opposition to Ukrainian top-flight aspect Rukh Lviv, earlier than a 2-0 win in opposition to SV Stripfing within the cup put them within the semi-finals. They resume the Bundesliga in opposition to WSG Tirol.
WSG Tirol | ninth place – 16 factors
The defence was boosted again in November by 24-year-old free agent Jonas David (beforehand at Hamburg). Striker Justin Forst has departed, nonetheless, for Voitsberg. It stays to be seen how a relatively unspectacular winter converts into the spring. There was a 0-1 pleasant defeat in opposition to NK Domzale within the preparation interval – however that was adopted by 3-0 and 2-0 wins in opposition to Schwaz and FAC.
We’re internet hosting the Tyroleans subsequent week in our first Bundesliga residence match of 2025 on Saturday 15 February at 17:00 CET. Tickets are on open sale.
SK Austria Klagenfurt | tenth place – 15 factors
It was positively one of many largest transfers of the winter in Austria – Klagenfurt signing Martin Hinteregger! We will see how our former centre-back will get on in his return to skilled soccer on the weekend once we go to Klagenfurt. It was a busy window over there with Steven Juncaj, Aaron Sky Schwarz (mortgage), Denzel Owusu and Keanan Bennetts all coming in, whereas Min-young Lee went on mortgage to Viktoria Berlin.
Their preparation interval noticed a 3-2 win in opposition to their co-operation membership in Berlin and a 2-1 success in opposition to SV Lafnitz.
GAK 1902 | eleventh place – 12 factors
It will likely be thrilling for us to see how Zeteny Jano will get on throughout his mortgage to the Graz outfit. They’ve tried to thrust back relegation hazard by signing Sadik Fofana, Florian Wiegele (on mortgage from Viktoria Pilsen) and Antonio Tikvic (on mortgage from Watford). There have been loads of departures too with Michael Cheukoua, Gabriel Zirngast, Felix Holzhacker, Markus Rusek and Dennis Dressel leaving the membership – who begin with an enormous six-pointer in opposition to SCR Altach! Clear pleasant wins in opposition to Voitsberg (4-0) and Kapfenberg (4-1) give confidence.
SCR Altach | twelfth place – 10 factors
The workforce coached by Fabio Ingolitsch have tried to regather over the winter after falling to backside within the desk. Assist in assault ought to come from new signing Marlon Mustapha (from Dusseldorf and Como), whereas striker Gustavo Santos has accomplished his dream of incomes a switch to Japan’s second division. Additional new signings got here within the retuning Benedikt Zech in defence together with Schalke mortgage participant Steve Noode. Alexander Gorgon got here from Poland to spice up the midfield and Florian Dietz was loaned from Cologne in assault.
Can that exercise spark a turnaround? Their final pleasant match in opposition to the Stuttgarter Kickers was gained 3-2, whetting the urge for food for a Bundesliga opener at residence to WSG Tirol! We’ll go to Altach on Matchday 21 on Sunday 9 March.
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