Has a "wild" game

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Sangaré is Rapid's linchpin.(Bild: GEPA)

Mamadou Sangaré hit the ground running at Rapid - and the shares could explode. Faith gives the Malian strength. In Klagenfurt(5pm in the sportkrone.at ticker), however, the rotation question arises today.

Sixth game in 19 days, Trabzonspor have to get out of their heads and legs - Rapids' focus is on Klagenfurt! Coach Klauß leaves it open as to whether and how many players will be rotated: "We're thinking about which players will give us input, we have to maintain our stability."

One guarantee for this is Mamadou Sangaré, 22 years young, but alongside his "bodyguard" Lukas Grgic already the be-all and end-all in Rapids' midfield. Sangaré came to the city of Mozart four years ago, but did not make his breakthrough at Red Bull: GAK, Waregem (BEL) and Hartberg were his stops on loan. His development was not fast enough for Salzburg, so Rapids' sporting director Katzer bought him for around 700,000 euros: a contract until 2028 - this share could explode upwards.

Rapids sporting director Markus Katzer(Bild: GEPA)

Sangaré's game "wild"
With his performances so far, Sangaré is shaping up to be the transfer king. "The start was good, I'm happy", the "eighth man" expected nothing less of himself: "I know my qualities, when I'm fit I can achieve anything." The changeover from small Hartberg to Europe's stages, the cauldrons in Krakow and Trabzon, doesn't seem to be a problem: "I don't show any nerves. When I'm on the pitch, I forget everything around me." So far, he has been dominant, winning balls and initiating attacks - with an enormous radius of action between the penalty areas. Klauß describes his game as "wild" - in a positive sense.

Mamadou Sangaré(Bild: GEPA)

Sangaré is a quiet, reserved type: "I don't go out much, I prefer to be at home, watch a lot of soccer, I can also play for hours on the Playstation," the Malian tells the "Krone" in a mix of German and English. Klauß will decide whether he will also play at Wörthersee today - Sangaré is still smiling when it comes to load management: "I'm young, I'm a professional - I want to play every day."

"Mama", as he is nicknamed, relies on help from above. "Faith gives me strength," says the Muslim, who prays five times a day. But a three-pointer today should only be possible with earthly powers ...

Market value almost halved
Austria Klagenfurt had no chance in the league opener in Wolfsberg (1:4). The purple bloodletting (Irving, Menzel, Karweina, Wimmer etc.) in the summer was huge. The squad's market value was almost halved to 6.75 million - making them bottom of the league. Curiously, not a single transfer euro was spent.

Nevertheless, Klauß warns. Above all because of coach Peter Pacult, who makes the impossible possible, especially against supposedly bigger teams. And then there is the rotation issue, Rapids' own readiness between the Trabzon clashes.