After double triumph

Sturm Graz is proud – but “homeless”

Sporting director Schicker, boss Jauk, coach Ilzer and managing director Tebbich (from left) with the double.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

The double heroes of Sturm Graz were honored on Monday for the championship title and the cup victory. The team led by coach Christian Ilzer was celebrated frenetically by around 15,000 fans at the main square in Graz. Now the millions from the Champions League await, but a stadium is missing. Here you can read a commentary by "Krone" editor Georg Kallinger.

Sturm will receive 16.8 million euros in entry fees in the group stage of the new Champions League - including income for the club, around 25 million euros should soon flow into the club's coffers. Matches against Real, Bayern, Juventus, Arsenal - anything is possible in the draw on August 29. "Two million in added value per game - but unfortunately all of that in Klagenfurt," said president Christian Jauk, using the double stage for the stadium discussion and addressing the mayor of Graz, Elke Kahr, in the town hall. "Sturm has 15,000 members, they all have a right of first refusal - our stadium is full!"

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

While the Sturm fans will be traveling in caravans across the Pack to the premier league games, the question remains as to where Sturm - with a few million in the bank - will move within the league. The gap to Rapid and LASK is likely to widen in the short term. But the gap to Salzburg will not get any smaller, even despite the top flight.

Sturm is still too "small" in the financial cosmos compared to the Bulls. Which is why a lot will continue to depend on sporting success. And on the whereabouts of master builders Christian Ilzer and Andi Schicker. The latter intends to announce his plans soon. The calls from Hoffenheim are said to be loud.