200th Graz derby

The countdown to the “clock tower summit” is ticking

Black against red again at last - the Merkur Arena is sold out!

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Black or red? After a 17-year break, the Bundesliga returns to the classic match between Sturm and GAK on Saturday (kick-off at 5pm). As the red promoted team is still waiting for its first win, the signs are in favor of the black double winners, who lead the table. The day, which is eagerly awaited by the fans, has been meticulously planned by both sides.

Champions versus promoted team - the betting providers agree on the role of favorites: the odds for a Sturm victory are 1.45, those for a GAK win are 5.80. "We are aware of our role as favorites," says Sturm's team manager Martin Ehrenreich, "but we also know how close the games in the Cup were." Fact: "Christian Ilzer has made it clear to our new signings how important this derby is for Sturm and even if Sporting are on the doorstep, there will be no tactics - Chris will play with the strongest team!"

Christian Ilzer has made it clear to our new signings just how important this derby is for Sturm. There will be no tactics - Chris will play with the strongest eleven.

Sturms Teammanager Martin Ehrenreich

Injured leading wolves Stankovic and Wüthrich will be in the dressing room as motivators before kick-off - and all friendships will be put to rest, just like with Mura's buddies Horvat and Cipot. "I have the closest ties to GAK anyway," smiles Ehrenreich (146 games for Sturm, champion, cup winner, 17 times European Cup), "I played with Perchtold in Gratkorn, I was Gantschnig's assistant coach at Sturm II and Rosenberger was with me at Sturm as a young professional." However, the team manager denies with a wink that he would have deleted his red ex-buddies from his phone book.

As always, the north of the Merkur Arena belongs to SK Sturm in the derby

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

There are no changes to the Black team's preparations for the derby:

9 a.m.: Breakfast at TZ Messendorf.

9.45 am: Discussion of the standards. Followed by "activation".

11.45 a.m.: Meeting point at the Liebenau stadium, departure by bus to the team hotel for the day's camp. The menus for the lunch buffet have been prepared by dietician Darinka Stock.

14.45 hrs: Meeting.

3.15 p.m.: Departure for the stadium.

PS: No motivational visit from the fan clubs at the final training session: "No motivation necessary", says "Öhrli", "everyone knows what we're about!"

The south stand is firmly in GAK hands in the derby

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

So läuft‘s beim GAK

Vorm Spektakel ein Schläfchen

The excitement is high! It's not just the fans who are eagerly awaiting the Graz derby, the GAK players are also eager for the match. For coach Gernot Messner's squad, the day leading up to the big game is relatively relaxed. The "Krone" asked team manager Beatrice Sifkovits about the exact schedule leading up to kick-off:

9 a.m.: The team and the coaching team meet at the training center in Weinzödl.

9.30 a.m.: The players start with a short activation session in order to be fully ready for the game. The body and its muscles are slowly brought up to operating temperature. The session lasts around 45 minutes.

10.30 am: The players drive home. There they prepare individually for the match, have lunch, sometimes take a short nap or spend time with their wives and families.

It is important to keep to the match day routine. Even if it is a very special game for all of us. In any case, the team is motivated and eager for this game.

Beatrice Sifkovits, Teammanagerin vom GAK

14:15: The players meet again in the training center. There is a final briefing for the derby over afternoon coffee.

2.45 p.m.: Departure to the stadium by bus via the highway.

3.15 p.m.: The hot phase begins! The bus arrives at around this time. To the cheers of the "traveling" fans.

16.15: The warm-up begins. Goalkeeper Jakob Meierhofer arrives on the pitch a little earlier than the field players and then leaves it earlier for the final preparations for the 5 p.m. kick-off.

For some players, the derby experience is new, others know it from the last two years. For some, it is also a reunion with their former club: Benjamin Rosenberger, Michael Lang, Dominik Frieser and Marco Gantschnig spent parts of their youth with their big city rivals.