Bundesliga in the TICKER

LIVE from 5pm: LASK must face Rapid

How will the duel between LASK and Rapid turn out this time?

(Bild: GEPA)

19th round in Austria's Bundesliga: LASK host SK Rapid. We report live (see below).

Here is the LIVETICKER:

SK Rapid, who started the new soccer year with great ambitions, are threatened with a historic false start. If they lose at LASK today, the Hütteldorfer will have lost their first three league games of the year for the first time in their 51-year Bundesliga history. However, Linz have also shown themselves to be far from their best in their recent draws against GAK and Blau-Weiß.

Rapid coach Robert Klauß was keen to assess the current situation ahead of the visit to Upper Austria. "The derby was not a game you have to lose. We lost because we didn't do two or three things well. But we also showed the players that we did what we did well in the 90 minutes," said the German and emphasized: "The direction is basically right, but of course we have to make sure that we get results in the short term so that we can continue on our path. It's not all bad, but there are things we need to change and improve."

Robert Klauß

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

They were disappointed about the two defeats, "but on the other hand, we lost against the two teams that are probably in the best form at the moment (note: 1:3 against WAC, 1:2 against Austria), and our performances were such that they could have been enough to score points," said Klauß. Now you have to "put your finger in the wound".

Rapid without three regular players
The coach has to do without the suspended regulars Niklas Hedl, Dion Beljo and Mamadou Sangare, but the match permits for the winter newcomers Andrija Radulovic, Ange Ahoussou and Romeo Amane have arrived after two weeks. After just two points from the last five rounds, fourth-placed Hütteldorfer are only six points ahead of seventh-placed LASK.

Klauß has a high opinion of the Upper Austrians. "They still have an extremely high quality of individual players. They're a really good team, and I also believe that they can still play a good role at the top if they get on a run." That is exactly what they need to prevent on Sunday. "We are on our guard and know that we can't let them get into the game."

LASK coach Markus Schopp sees a clear upward trend despite the recent lack of victories. "We conceded far too many goals in the fall, so we're more stable. But we have to be more dangerous. We are where we want to be, but you also have to see it on the scoreboard," said the Styrian, describing Rapid as a "very strong" team that can defend passionately. "The two are not entirely dissimilar in their ideas," Schopp surmised. His club is unbeaten against Rapid in seven league games and six home games.