Bundesliga in the TICKER

LIVE from 5pm: The Graz derby Sturm vs GAK!

Otar Kiteishvili from Sturm Graz or Daniel Maderner from GAK - who will be celebrating after the Graz derby?

(Bild: GEPA)

10th round in Austria's Bundesliga: SK Sturm Graz welcomes GAK. We report live (see below). 

Here is the LIVETICKER:

Ahead of the first Graz derby in the Bundesliga for more than 17 years, the form on paper is clear. Sturm will start as league leaders and double winners, while GAK are still waiting for their first win since returning to the top flight after nine unsuccessful attempts. Naturally, the underdogs are keen to land the longed-for liberating blow in the 200th competitive derby of all places.

Gernot Messner

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

"We're going to give it everything we've got!"
"We've trained well this week, why shouldn't we beat a big team?" asked Gernot Messner. The GAK coach is certainly aware of the higher quality of the squad, the more consolidated playing structure and the recent Salzburg experience with the opponent. "Every game has to be played first and we are confident that we will hold our own," emphasized Messner and promised: "We will give it everything we've got."

First meeting as Bundesliga teams since May 17, 2007
It will be the third meeting between the two arch-rivals in a short space of time. In the fall of 2022 and 2023, the Black & Whites prevailed 1:0 and 3:2 in the Cup round of 16. Now the two teams will meet for the first time since May 17, 2007 as Bundesliga clubs. Back then, a goal from Mario Haas decided the duel 1-0 in favor of Sturm.

The coaches and players refrained from verbal spats ahead of the emotionally charged match. "I hope that the derby will be decided on the pitch and that the two fan camps will ensure a soccer festival. One for the fan groups and one for families," said Sturm coach Christian Ilzer. For the first time under Ilzer, Sturm will have the right to play at home against their city rivals. This is particularly relevant for the distribution of tickets: at 3,800, around a quarter of the allocation went to GAK fans.

Christian llzer

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

"But of course there are now 12,000 spectators against us!"
The Reds are taking heart from the narrow cup defeats. Sometimes they found good solutions, Messner recalled. "But of course there are now 12,000 spectators against us, there will be a different atmosphere that we're not used to. That's cool on the one hand, but certainly also a challenge."

After recent riots, the stadium administration and law enforcement want to be prepared accordingly. Glass walls that are difficult to overcome have been installed in the arena, and a mobile fence has also been installed for the first time. According to the police, several hundred officers will be on duty. The GAK will hold a fan march, while the Sturm fans will gather on the stadium forecourt from midday. "The situation has been clarified at all levels," said the organized fan scene of the double winners. "Let's let the provocations bounce off our chest and let the sow rub against the oak."

"It's not inherently going to be like that..."
A storming run against a massed defense is to be expected on the pitch. "It won't be the case that we'll get in behind, but there will be phases where it happens. There will perhaps also be phases where we can run high when we have good energy," said Messner.

The Graz stadium

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Ilzer tried to get his numerous national team players "back on track" in two training sessions. It was up to his team to "quickly pick up the flow from the Salzburg game", said the coach before the start of the next intensive block. Seven games in three weeks are coming up, including the third Champions League game against Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday.

"I have no time and no room in my head to ..."
As in 2022, the match will be refereed by Alexander Harkam from Graz. Despite promotion, Ilzer was angry at the time. "I really wanted a Styrian referee to never referee the derby again." The Sturm coach did not want to comment much on the new appointment of Harkam. "I don't have the time or space in my head to deal with the referee as a person."

With Jon Gorenc Stankovic and Gregory Wüthrich (both Sturm) and Petar Filipovic and Markus Rusek (GAK) respectively, leading players are missing on both sides. According to Ilzer, GAK have been "beaten below their value so far". The fact that the first team meets the last doesn't matter at all in a derby, said the master coach. "Of course we are the favorites, but GAK can be a very dangerous opponent."