Before the clash with LASK

GAK turbo Frieser: “Can win against anyone!”

Dominik Frieser wants to take off with the GAK

(Bild: GEPA)

Dominik Frieser will face his former club LASK (2.30pm) and his former coach Markus Schopp with GAK in Graz on Sunday. Old friends should not stop the Reds' momentum.

After the 2:1 at the start in Altach, there is a huge sense of relief at GAK - on Sunday, they want to add to that at home against LASK, a win would be like a catapult start to the spring. However, flank turbo Dominik Frieser knows that a lot of work awaits against his former club and his former coach, as the Linzers are under heavy pressure in the fight for the championship.

Time together
Dominik Frieser is looking forward to his first Bundesliga home game against LASK in 24 years: "Because I only have fond memories of LASK, I exploded from zero to a thousand in Linz under Oliver Glasner after my time at WAC, had a great time with the Europa League, the Champions League qualifiers, the almost championship, made the leap to England."

Frieser (left) and Schopp (center) together at TSV Hartberg

(Bild: Pail Sepp)

Current LASK coach Markus Schopp was his boss at Barnsley: "I later had Markus as a coach at Hartberg too. I've also played against him a few times, once scoring two goals against his Hartberg team as an LASK player. Markus is a very good coach who has a clear idea of the game, demands a lot and does it well. At LASK, however, he has different characters in the team and more pressure. But I think everything will be fine - if he's given the time!"

If we do our thing, stand well defensively and make pinpricks up front, we can win against anyone.

GAK-Spieler Dominik Frieser

This time, however, GAK want to be a spoilsport: "We're playing at home and if we do our thing, play well defensively and make pinpricks up front, we can win against anyone." The 2:1 in Altach was a huge relief: "That was an important win for our heads, because Altach were good, but unlike us, they just didn't score the goals. But before the points were shared, it was actually only one and a half points. It would be more important to win the next game in Altach as well."

New additions brought momentum
The additions have really boosted the quality of the Reds: "Sadik Fofana clears everything in the middle. Laszlo Kleinheisler has enormous qualities in one-on-one situations and, like Zeteny Jano, has enormous shooting power. Antonio Tikvic defends very solidly - and Florian Wiegele is a really good goalkeeper who is also very good at soccer for his size. He got us the win in his first game."

The LASK team also has a completely new face: "Only Flo Flecker and Maxi Entrup are still there from my old mates. And the Hartberg coaching team, with whom I got on well, have also taken Schoppi with them." Nevertheless, there is nothing for the old friends to inherit in Graz, according to Dominik: "We want these three points - we don't need to talk too much about it!"