To the live ticker of the Graz Derby!
17.48: Both teams are in the cabins
Just a few moments until it starts. The stadium is not full yet. Fans are still waiting in front of the stadium.
5:36 p.m .: It is backed up in front of the stadium
At the entrances to the sectors, there is an enormous build-up of traffic today. 24 minutes left.
5:25 p.m .: Now the storm field players are also warming up
Now all the players are on the field, with just over 30 minutes to go before the derby begins.
5:20 p.m .: Police report no incidents
According to the police, there were no incidents with either Corteos. Happy to hear that.
5:15 p.m .: The GAK field players are there
Now the arena is boiling for the first time. Storm fans loudly announce what they think of the opposing players. The curve of the red celebrates.
5:13 p.m .: Sturm goalkeeper warming up
Now Jörg Siebenhandl is also on the field. The stadium fills up. So far, more storm fans can be seen.
5:05 p.m.: Warm-up begins
Christoph Nicht is the first player to come onto the field. The GAK goalie is celebrated by the red team and whistled at by the “Schwoazen”. That’s how Derby works.
5 p.m.: The lineups are in
NO: Not; Koechl, Jovicic, Koller, Graf, Rosenberger; Perchtold; Schriebl, Liendl, Rusek; Peham
Sturm: seven handl; Ingolitsch, Affengruber, Wüthrich, Dante; Ljubic, Hierländer, Prass, Kiteishvili; Jantscher, Ajeti
4:55 p.m .: Mario Haas: “I’m really excited”
4.40 p.m .: The stadium fills up
4.30 p.m .: The GAK players are in the stadium
4:05 p.m .: The GAK fans are at the stadium
3.40 p.m .: The storm fans are on their way
3.30 p.m .: Before the storm departs: Capo appeals to reason
In a few minutes, the supporters of Sturm Graz will be on their way to the stadium. The lead singer of the storm fans appealed to the reason of the fans: “We don’t present ourselves as asocial,” he says.
3:20 p.m .: The GAK fans are on their way to the stadium
3.15 p.m .: Mario Haas and Thomas Seidl are also in the Gruabn
The Sturm fans don’t seem to mind that the bomber is in the Gruabn.
2.55 p.m .: Impressions from the ORF Park
2.50 p.m .: The Jakomini belt is completely closed to traffic
2.30 p.m.: More impressions from the Gruabn
2 p.m.: The fans of Sturm and GAK meet
The Sturm fans meet in the Gruabn, the GAK fans in the ORF Park. Both fan groups then plan marches to the stadium. The GAK fans want to meet the GAK players’ bus at the stadium in Liebenau at 4 p.m. and spray the last spark of motivation on the team.
So far everything is peaceful. For the storm fans in the Gruabn, the Grazer Sportklub gives trams – the net profit goes to the additional financial expenditure of the Gruabn renovation.
1:00 p.m .: Large police force and roadblocks due to the Graz football derby
The Graz police have done their “homework” before the Graz derby Sturm vs GAK “as well as possible”, as announced in a broadcast: the rival fan groups require a large number of emergency services, a security area is being decreed. Everything you need to know about roadblocks and more is here!
12.40 p.m .: A pig carcass caused explosives in advance
A pig hung from a motorway bridge in Seiersberg on Monday morning. The sticker affixed to the bridge railing left little doubt: “Sch… GAK” together with a black and white panther “killing” a red devil with a storm flag could be seen and read on it. Directly below, fastened with gaffer tape and rope: A pig painted red. It should be a provocative action by Sturm fans before the derby against GAK. Both football clubs distanced themselves from such actions.
GAK fans then took over an animal sponsorship for the pigs Saskia & Egon from the horse sanctuary Edelweiss in Wildon. “In this place, animals are given the opportunity to enjoy a dignified old age,” writes the “Grazer AK 1902 fan project” on Facebook. “A place where values like respect and decency are not just empty phrases.”
12.30 p.m .: Stadium announcer Seidl and Pascottini: Of missed goals and (not yet) fulfilled boy’s dreams
Mathias Pascottini (GAK) and Thomas Seidl (storm) share the passion of the stadium announcer. For Pascottini, a boy’s dream comes true with the moderation at the derby, Seidl has to take a seat in the stands. The two in conversation.
12.15 p.m .: Who is actually ahead?
The role of favorites before today’s derby has been clarified: A top club from the top division – Sturm – meets a second division team – GAK. And history also speaks for the black and white. Sturm and GAK have met 197 times so far. The black and white won 80 times, the red jackets were allowed to raise their arms 68 times. 49 duels ended in draws. However, the GAK, who scored 321 goals, showed more accuracy, Sturm only 304.
Sturm celebrated the highest derby victory: The highest storm victory in the post-war period was celebrated on June 16, 1946 in the Styrian League with a 10-1 win over GAK. Two 6-1 successes in the Staatsliga A (November 25, 1956 and May 11, 1958) and a 5-0 (March 2, 2003) represent the record victories of the Red Jackets.
11.40 a.m .: Everything is still quiet at the stadium
Preparations are underway at the stadium in Liebenau – but everything is still calm. The first security guards are already on site and are currently busy putting up the fences.
Due to the fan marches, a rush of fans at the stadium is not expected until the hour before admission at 4:30 p.m.
If you bought your tickets online at Sturm Graz, you still have to exchange the vouchers for real tickets before the game – from Julia and Tanja in the Sturm shop. It’s still quiet, but a few football fans were already there.
The head of the sports department in Graz, Thomas Rajakovics, makes no secret of which of the two clubs his heart beats for. Incidentally, he has his office directly under the north curve – “but today I’m not sure if I’ll even be able to get in there in the afternoon.”
11.30 a.m.: To smile II – Hannes Kartnig and Harald Fischl
11.15 a.m .: With a folding chair since 5 a.m.: Hundreds of storm fans were waiting for the remaining tickets
The GAK was already sold out on Monday, and on Tuesday hundreds of Sturm fans were still queuing for the remaining tickets at the Liebenau fan shop. At 5:15 a.m., the first people were there, many bringing folding chairs with them. Half an hour after the shop opened, the Derby was completely sold out.
Viewer record: Derbies were held in the Casino Stadium, the Gruabn, at Sportklub-Platz, in Kapfenberg, in what is now the Merkur Arena and in the old Liebenauer Stadium. The attendance record was set in 1969 in the latter. More than 20,000 spectators were there.
11.05 a.m .: Marco Perchtold and Mario Haas remember the last derby
Marco Perchtold is the only player who played in the last Graz derby in 2007 and is still there for GAK today. Mario Haas was the gold goal scorer at the time. The two remember the last city duel so far.
10.55 a.m .: Styrian state leadership appeals for a peaceful city derby
“The Graz Derby has a long tradition and not only electrifies thousands of football fans in the provincial capital, but throughout Styria”, State Governor Christopher Drexler (ÖVP) and Vice Anton Lang (SPÖ) say in unison. “The anticipation for this game is great, because it is something very special that the two clubs meet again for the first time in 15 years. We wish all Sturm and GAK fans a fair and exciting game, but at the same time appeal to both fan camps for a peaceful football festival. There is no place for violence on or off the field and we all hope for an atmospheric and peaceful process.”
10.45 a.m .: To smile I: Hape Kerkeling is the new GAK trainer – just before the derby
10.30 a.m .: The last “small” derby ended in a draw
Two weeks before the Graz derby, there was a “small” derby between GAK and Sturm II in the 2nd division. The game ended 1:1, you can read the match report here.
Small derbies have happened again and again in recent years. Here you will find an overview of all duels between GAK and the amateurs from Sturm.
10.19 a.m .: Derby records and history I
record player: Ex-ÖFB team player Anton Pichler has completed most of the Graz derbies in history. The Styrian played 40 games against his city rivals in the storm jersey. Alex Ceh is in the lead at GAK. The Slovenian met the Black and Whites 39 times.
Record goalscorer: Ivica Vastic can call himself the record scorer in the derbies. Sturm’s team player of the century scored 17 times. A member of the club’s team of the century also leads the statistics at GAK. Walter Koleznik scored eight times in the Graz city duel.
10:07 a.m .: Storm and GAK fans were also nocturnal
Hundreds of Sturm fans roamed the university district last night. The police were on the road with many patrol cars. In the Gruabn there was a clash of storm and GAK supporters – without major incidents. GAKlers tried to get into the Gruabn, Sturm fans drove them out again.
10.05 a.m .: Who wins? Vote!
10.00 a.m.: Good morning from Graz!
The time has come, the day of the 198th Graz city derby! GAK and Sturm meet in the ÖFB Cup at 6 p.m. in Liebenau.
