Many empty seats

ÖFB opponents: Ice field hockey more important than EURO fighters

Some seats remained empty during the ÖFB team's victory.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The 22,500-capacity Národný futbalový štadióni in Bratislava was far from sold out yesterday, at most half full - and that was only because the Austria fans' sector was full to bursting. A column by "Krone" editor Peter Klöbl. 

Although Slovakia is taking part in the EURO and will only play once more at home before the tournament at the beginning of June, the EURO fighters were of little interest to the fans - just 700 meters away from the soccer stadium, the ice hockey play-off game between Slovan Bratislava and Kosice was taking place at the same time in the Zimný štadión Ondreja Nepelu, where the hall was packed to bursting point with 10,000 spectators.

Speaking of sold out - Tuesday's match between Austria and Turkey at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna is not yet sold out either, with two "fixed spectators" already arriving in Vienna today: David Alaba and Marko Arnautovic are not only coming to keep their fingers crossed, the duo, together with Marcel Sabitzer and Konrad Laimer, are also part of the team council; on Monday, the bonus negotiations with the ÖFB are on the agenda, although it is rumored that there will hardly be any problems there.

Striking in Bratislava: With Laimer and Michael Gregoritsch, two players changed their boots before the break - but that was not the reason for the rather lackluster performance ...