Black Wings and LASK:

The encouragement for the hot double against Salzburg!

Ice hockey Linz (l. Kragl) trails 1:2 in the quarter-final against Salzburg

(Bild: Tröster Andreas)

Red Bull Salzburg storm Linz twice on Saturday! In ice hockey, the Black Wings want to level the score at 2:2 after the 1:5 away win in the quarter-final series and in soccer, LASK are fighting their own negative run alongside the champions. But there is encouragement for both Linz clubs!

At the Raiffeisen Arena on the Gugl, Saturday at 5 p.m., LASK will try to put an end to their month-long negative run against perennial champions Salzburg. While the second half kicks off at 6pm at the Gugl, the Black Wings will face Salzburg for a fourth time in the ice hockey quarter-final series at the Donaulände. The eight-time ICE Hockey League champions, who have also triumphed in the last two and are Austria's ten-time champions!

Linz coach Philipp Lukas: "That wasn't us"
Red Bull had already supported the Salzburg club SEC as a sponsor in 1987/88. EC Red Bull Salzburg was founded in 2000, and with the promotion to the Bundesliga in 2004, the group took over the club completely and restructured it. The impressive Red Bull Ice Hockey Academy has been in existence since 2014. All in all, a red-white-red field hockey empire, whose one-man team struck back after the 2:3 in Linz on Thursday in Salzburg with a 5:1 demonstration of power against weak guests, literally crushing them. "It wasn't a good game, without discipline and consistency-that wasn't us," said Black Wings coach Philipp Lukas.

The Black Wings want to cheer like they did in the 3:2 win against Salzburg in their last home game

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"It's a different game at home"
"But it's a different game at home, the arena will be on fire," says forward Marco Brucker, who knows that home advantage is a great source of encouragement. In order for the 2:2 draw in the series to work out and for it not to be the last home game of the season, an improvement is needed at all levels! Also from goalkeeper Rasmus Tirronen and top scorer Graham Knott, who is still without a scoring point in the series.

(Bild: Honorar)

While LASK also need a top performance at the Gugl against Austria's 17-time soccer champions Salzburg! Against a top-class opponent that has currently been unbeaten in the Bundesliga for no fewer than 25 away games and wants to extend this record. Linz last beat the Bulls at home on April 18, 2018 - six years ago! 

LASK captain: "Then we have a chance"
LASK captain Robert Zulj demands: "It will be difficult, but if we show presence for 95 minutes, then we have a chance. We have to take a step forward." Salzburg can back up their role as favorites with impressive numbers from a super duo: Since the 2022/23 season, central defenders Strahinja Pavlovic and Oumar Solet have played together 28 times in the Bundesliga. In the process, the two giants have conceded just 15 goals and have yet to suffer a defeat

LASK disappointed last time out, want a turnaround against Salzburg

(Bild: GEPA)

Little speaks in favor of LASK
A Herculean task for Linz's attacking aerofoil, which has scored just two goals in four league games this spring. And these were contributed by Robert Zulj, on whose shoulders a large part of the offense will once again rest today. So there's little to be said in favor of LASK - except that after the internal debate between the professionals, in which there were emotional exchanges of words, the players will go full throttle and literally eat grass. Also to appease the fans, who have recently harshly criticized their favourites on the fan portals and questioned their passion for black and white. But: One big rebuff and coach Thomas Sageder would be severely counted out.