Bundesliga in the ticker:

LASK vs GAK – LIVE from 5pm

Coach Markus Schopp

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Seventh round in Austria's Bundesliga: LASK host GAK. We report live - see ticker below.

Here is the live ticker:

LASK are currently "caught in the rain". Markus Schopp emphasized this ahead of his second Bundesliga match as coach of the Athletiker at home against newly promoted GAK on Saturday (5pm). With a home win, the Graz native, who came from Hartberg, wants to initiate a turnaround and ensure that the sun will soon shine again for his squad. The Styrians are aiming for their first win at the seventh attempt, but are one point ahead of LASK in the table with four points.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Daniel Scharinger, Werner Kerschbaummayr)

Instead of being in the fight for the top spot as they had hoped, Linz are second-last in the table, only Hartberg (2) have collected fewer points, but have also played one game less. "It's not an easy situation, but when you've been in the sport for a long time, there are ups and downs," said Schopp. His boys would accept the challenging situation. "Now we have to turn the tables," demanded the 50-year-old.

In the 0:1 derby at Blau-Weiß Linz last weekend, Schopp was unable to do so in his first game in the dugout. "We have our next opportunity on Saturday, a very important game for us. If we do what we set out to do, then LASK will once again have a win," said the LASK coach optimistically looking ahead. There is also no alternative. "We are at the point where we have to deliver." Goalkeeper Jörg Siebenhandl knows that too: "Everyone knows what's at stake. We will keep our hearts in the game."

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Linz have scored the third-fewest goals with five and conceded the most with twelve. "We scored far too few goals from our chances and conceded far too many. You need a certain level of fitness and willingness," said Schopp. It is important to go one step further than the opponent. It remains to be seen whether Robert Zulj, who is suffering from a broken nose, will play a role. "He feels much freer without a mask. I can understand that and everyone has to decide for themselves. The final decision will be made tomorrow at the final training session," said Schopp.

Five injured players - goalkeeper Tobias Lawal, Florian Flecker, Andres Andrade, Ivan Ljubic and Lenny Pintor - are missing, while Sascha Horvath is still suspended. Only Markus Rusek and Murat Satin are unavailable for Graz, who recently drew against Altach and Hartberg. Martin Kreuzriegler is back from injury. Petar Filipovic is particularly motivated ahead of the clash with his former club, for whom he played between 2019 and 2022. The game in front of a "good crowd" will be fun. "We want to put in a good performance so that we can finally get our first win," said the 34-year-old.

His coach is also longing for one. "Four draws in six games wouldn't be so bad. Even though the performances have been good, the results have been brutally disappointing," summed up Gernot Messner. Luck is also a decisive factor in the top flight. "We have to call up one or two percent more, then we'll also get the luck on our side. Everything evens out over the course of the season." He described LASK as "difficult to assess at the moment". He has clear guidelines for his team, as he noted: "We have to have confidence, be courageous in the game and win the duels."

The two teams will meet for the first time in the top flight since May 5, 2001, when Graz won 1-0. GAK have not lost in their last six head-to-head meetings. LASK, on the other hand, are unbeaten in home matches against promoted teams since their own promotion to the Bundesliga in 2017. There will be 200 flood relief workers in the stadium, who have been invited to the match by the club.