After penalties from the league

Rapid: Debatable – but the barrel is now open

"Krone" reporter Rainer Bortenschlager

(Bild: „Krone“, zVg)

Too soft, too hard - the verdict of Senate 1 against Rapid heats things up. A column by "Krone" reporter Rainer Bortenschlager.

Rapid against the rest of soccer Austria. The Klagenfurt players were muzzled for safety's sake. The green and white kickers are also being kept away from microphones ahead of the showdown in the battle for the top 6 at Lake Wörthersee. Their job will be hard enough without the six suspended players (including Terrence Kongolo). And Rapids' protest has no suspensive effect.

Nevertheless, the appeal so that Guido Burgstaller and Marco Grüll can play at least one competitive match before the Cup semi-final on April 3. All of Rapid's goals are in jeopardy. And the ruling is open to attack. Covered by the paragraphs. But lawyers are intervening in the competition, even though the Rapid players were not in control of themselves off the pitch and did not want to gain a sporting advantage (unlike LASK during corona training). More a case for the ethics committee?

The punishment for Max Hofmann is significant. He is not on the homophobic video, but has denigrated the violet district. In other words, Favoriten, where he and his parents live. He can hardly be accused of serious rejection. Nevertheless, he was given a three-match (two conditional) ban. A clear, probably important signal - but certainly the benchmark for future offenses. The barrel was opened.