If group winner Liverpool gets at least a draw at Union Saint-Gilloise, then Linz will take third place in the event of a home win and move into the intermediate round of the Conference League in the spring.
However, Sageder’s troupe doesn’t want to be distracted by the “accompanying music” in Belgium in the fight for the European winter. “We concentrate exclusively on ourselves and our task. The parallel game does not change our starting situation,” emphasized the 40-year-old LASK coach on Wednesday before the last compulsory task in 2023. The model should be the 3-0 home win against Saint-Gilloise five weeks ago.
GEPA/Christian Moser Thomas Sageder will lead his team for the 28th and final time this fall on Thursday
The ranks at the LASK hospital thinned out in good time this week. After the wave of infections that had put players like Robert Zulj, Sascha Horvath and Rene Renner out of action subsided, Sageder received good news for the showdown. “Everyone is healthy again, we have a full selection.” Only striker Ibrahim Mustapha is missing after an ankle operation.
Home series also gives us courage
For the Upper Austrians, the match against Toulouse is the 28th competitive game since the summer. Last but not least, the good record at home is encouraging: LASK celebrated eight wins in eleven home games, only Liverpool took three points. Goalie Tobias Lawal kept his box clean seven times, which is also the top priority against Toulouse. “It will be important to work against the ball with the highest intensity and play well in transition situations,” said Sageder.
Europa League, Group E, sixth matchday
Thursday, 6:45 p.m., live on ORF1
LASK – Toulouse
Linz, Upper Austria Arena, 6.45 p.m./live ORF1, SR Maresca/ITA
SHOT: Lawal – Ziereis, Talowjerow, Andrade – Stojkovic, Ljubic, Horvath, Bello – Ljubicic, Zulj, Usor
Toulouse: Restes – Desler, Costa, Nicolaisen, Diarra – Casseres, Sierro – Dönnum, Schmidt, Magri – Dallinga
Defender Philipp Ziereis saw it similarly. “I believe that we have to decide the important moments for ourselves in both sixteens in order to leave the pitch as winners. We didn’t manage to do that in the first leg.” Toulouse won the first duel at home 1-0. It was one of only four successes for the struggling southern French this season; their last full success came more than a month ago against Liverpool (3-2).
Distracted by the relegation battle
In Ligue 1, Spanish coach Carles Martinez’s team, which is only in 15th place, has been unsuccessful since the beginning of October, and at the weekend they even lost 3-0 at the last team, Olympique Lyon. The French Cup winner does not travel to the Danube spreading fear and terror. “I was in Lyon at the weekend and got an impression of the opponent. I think they also have their issues,” said Sageder about Toulouse.
A question mark remains as to how much the opponent will rotate their formation. “I’m not entirely sure how they will play given their league situation. But I assume that they will bring the best players. This is a team that likes to look for playful solutions. And in Thijs Dallinga they have a striker who is really good in the penalty area,” said Sageder.
Toulouse not yet through
While LASK (3 points) wants to reach for third place, which would bring 930,000 euros including the prize money alone, Toulouse (8) is about securing second place against Saint-Gilloise (5) and thus staying and overwintering in the Europa League.
