In any case, three points are planned in Vienna-Penzing in order to consolidate third place in the championship group. “We want to win so that we can strengthen our position in the table,” said coach Robert Klauß. But he sets his team up for an unpleasant task. Since a home win at the beginning of April last year, there have been two defeats and one draw in the duel with the Carinthians.
“This is a very mature team. They are very effective in action, concentrate on their strengths, that they are difficult for opponents to play against. They defend well, are unpleasant in direct duels and dangerous at set pieces. These are ingredients that make things difficult for supposedly good teams. “They feel comfortable in the role of ‘we annoy the big guys’,” said the Rapid coach, describing the Klagenfurt team.
Schedule and table
Bundesliga, 26th round
Sunday, 5 p.m.:
Rapid – Austria Klagenfurt
Vienna, Allianz Stadium, SR Ciochirca
Possible lineups:
Rapid: Hedl – Oswald, Querfeld, Kongolo, Auer – Grgic, Sattlberger – Lang, M. Seidl, Grüll – Burgstaller
Klagenfurt: Menzel – Gkezos, Wimmer, Mahrer, Schumacher – Bonnah, Besuschkow, Benatelli, Cvetko – Binder, Karweina
Rapid closes at the back under Klauss
“We have to play significantly better than in Klagenfurt,” demanded Klauß, but also addressed the special circumstances of the 1-1 draw a month ago. His team was severely weakened after the derby scandal, but this time Rapid will probably be able to compete with their best players if Marco Grüll, who has been sidelined this week, is ready for action as expected.
In any case, Rapid can come in with a big chest. The Green-Whites are still unbeaten this year, are in the cup final and recently impressed in the 1-1 draw against Salzburg. Since Klauß took over the team on November 20th, the defense in particular has become a bulwark. In 13 competitive games since then (eleven championship, two cup), Rapid have only conceded six goals and never more than one in a game. “Things are going quite well at the moment,” said Klauß, “but we’re not really where we want to be yet. We want to get even better.”
“The grapes hang higher”
This also applies to Klagenfurt, who are still without a win in this year’s championship group. “The grapes hang higher,” emphasized Pacult with regard to the top opponents who are waiting week after week for the Carinthians, who are surprisingly back in the top six. With a total of 35 points, the Klagenfurt team even scored more than at the same time last season (30).
“We have to improve our game, not reinvent something,” said Pacult about his team. “We always try to prepare well for the opponent, and we managed to do that quite well against Rapid in the last few games. But we know very well that a little euphoria has broken out in Hütteldorf,” said the former Rapid champion.
However, Hütteldorfer’s home record is “anything but perfect by standards,” said the Klagenfurt coach, considering only one green-white home win this year. The personnel situation is positive for Pacult. “Everyone is on board. For the first time in a very long time we have to keep people at home,” he explained.
