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We take a look at the goings on at our opponents…

Say hi there to Schöpf and Hinteregger, and goodbye to Biereth and Ljubicic – there have been loads of big-name actions amongst our rivals within the ADMIRAL Bundesliga over the winter break! Earlier than we lastly get again to enterprise this weekend, now we have summarised the adjustments at Austria’s prime golf equipment over current weeks in our opposition evaluation.

SK Sturm Graz | 1st place – 36 factors

There was a lot afoot at Sturm over the winter – with interim coach Jürgen Säumel appointed on a everlasting foundation and sporting director Michael Parensen additionally having his palms full!

Two key gamers have left the champions in Mika Biereth (AS Monaco) and Jusuf Gazibegovic (Cologne). Manprit Sarkaria has additionally departed (SZ Peng Metropolis), albeit he was taking part in for the reserves within the autumn, as has mortgage participant Erencan Yardimci (return to TSG Hoffenheim). They’ve gained former Speedy striker Fally Mayulu from Bristol Metropolis on a six-month mortgage in addition to signing 19-year-old full-back Emran Soglo from the Olympique Marseille youth ranks.

The large winter reshuffle has clearly left its impression on the Graz outfit. Each a pleasant towards HNK Rijeka and a cup tie towards Austria Vienna had been misplaced 0-2. Kiteishvili & Co confirmed that they nonetheless have it, nevertheless, with a 1-0 UEFA Champions League win at residence to RB Leipzig.

It is not lengthy till we lock horns in an enormous conflict – on Sunday 2 March at 17:00 at our Pink Bull Enviornment. Tickets are already obtainable

FK Austria Vienna | 2nd place – 33 factors

Maybe the most important surprises of the season to date had a quieter winter break. Matteo Schablas of FC Liefering was signed – however instantly went out on mortgage. Marvin Martins additionally left the membership for the Netherlands, whereas Muharem Huskovic and Matteo Meisl have exited on loans. Two pleasant wins and a draw are indicators that the primary half of the season was no fluke – an impression strengthened by a shocking 2-0 away win at reigning champions Sturm Graz within the cup quarter-finals. Austria Vienna are usually not a facet you wish to rule out of the working for the rest of the season.

We nonetheless should journey to Vienna to face Austria – on Matchday 19 on 22 February ().

SK Speedy Vienna | third place – 28 factors

Similar to their rivals throughout the capital, Speedy are in search of to construct on a really promising autumn. They’ve strengthened their central midfield over the break with Romeo Amane – a 21 year-old Ivorian who joins from BK Häcken in Sweden. Deadline day loans of Ercan Kara (who’s again at Speedy) and Andrija Radulovic are designed to spice up the assault.

There have not been too many outgoings for the Inexperienced and Whites. Maximilian Hofmann and Bernhard Zimmermann left the membership on free transfers, whereas Samuel Horak and Dennis Kaygin left on mortgage and the mortgage deal of Ryan Mmaee was terminated early – however the important thing gamers from the primary half of the season have all remained.

The Bundesliga opener towards WAC on Saturday would be the first massive take a look at of the brand new 12 months for Speedy Vienna. Their preparation interval was lower than spectacular with 1-0 wins towards each St. Pölten and Blau-Weiß Linz, with Klauß’s XI but to have a aggressive tie in 2025.

Wolfsberger AC | 4th place  – 26 factors

WAC had been energetic proper on the finish of the switch window! The Wolves are capable of welcome Anderson Niangbo again to the Austrian Bundesliga, whereas there’s one other former Austrian worldwide of their ranks with Alessandro Schöpf. Ivorian pair of Claude Kouakou and Abou Sylla had been unveiled as last-minute additions on Thursday afternoon.

They’ve began the brand new 12 months effectively – with a 3-1 win within the UNIQA ÖFB Cup towards second-tier SW Bregenz placing Didi Kühbauer’s facet within the semi-finals.

WAC are visiting us to complete the common season on Sunday 16 March.

FC Blau-Weiß Linz | sixth place – 23 factors

The beginning of the second season from the newly promoted facet from Austria’s metal metropolis has been a promising one, however they’re nonetheless seeking to construct. Thomas Turner from SKN St. Pölten is boosting the Linz goalkeeping ranks, whereas 20-year-old defending specialist Elias Bakatukanda has been taken on mortgage from Cologne. The younger defender will fill a vacant place that arose after the retirement of Silvan Wallner in November 2024. Scheiblehner’s facet ended their preparation interval with a 0-1 loss to Speedy Vienna and go straight right into a derby away to LASK!

LASK | seventh place – 20 factors

From one Linz membership to the opposite. We’ve got already seen, sadly, within the cup quarter-final that new signing Samuel Adeniran is a helpful addition, with the American scoring the decisive objective with a header in extra-time. Markus Schopp has added a number of different new faces to his facet: with Ismaila Coulibaly approaching a free switch from Sheffield United into central midfield, Mohamed Sanogo doing likewise from First Vienna and two wingers becoming a member of on deadline day – Christoph Lang from SK Speedy Vienna and Krystof Danek from Sparta Prague (on mortgage).

New additions appear crucial with LASK simply outdoors the championship group at current and with two key gamers leaving in Marin Ljubicic (to Union Berlin) and Maksym Talovierov (to Plymouth Argyle). Jörg Siebenhandl, Rene Renner, Tomas Galvez and Tomas Tavares all additionally left the membership over the winter.

TSV Hartberg | eighth place – 20 factors

It is not solely Raphael Hofer (of our Pink Bulls) who went to Hartberg over the break (on mortgage in his case) as Emmanuel Ojukwu has additionally joined from Wiener SC, Jed Drew from Australia and Muharem Huskovic (on mortgage) from Austria Vienna. Loans from Onurhan Babuscu, Aaron Sky Schwarz and Charlie Osborne have all been ended, nevertheless.

Manfred Schmid’s facet took a 1-1 draw within the preparation interval towards Ukrainian top-flight facet Rukh Lviv, earlier than a 2-0 win towards SV Stripfing within the cup put them within the semi-finals. They resume the Bundesliga towards WSG Tirol.

WSG Tirol | ninth place – 16 factors

The defence was boosted again in November by 24-year-old free agent Jonas David (beforehand at Hamburg). Striker Justin Forst has departed, nevertheless, for Voitsberg. It stays to be seen how a somewhat unspectacular winter converts into the spring. There was a 0-1 pleasant defeat towards NK Domzale within the preparation interval – however that was adopted by 3-0 and 2-0 wins towards Schwaz and FAC.

We’re internet hosting the Tyroleans subsequent week in our first Bundesliga residence match of 2025 on Saturday 15 February at 17:00 CET. Tickets are on open sale.

SK Austria Klagenfurt | tenth place – 15 factors

It was undoubtedly one of many greatest transfers of the winter in Austria – Klagenfurt signing Martin Hinteregger! We will see how our former centre-back will get on in his return to skilled soccer on the weekend after we go to Klagenfurt. It was a busy window over there with Steven Juncaj, Aaron Sky Schwarz (mortgage), Denzel Owusu and Keanan Bennetts all coming in, whereas Min-young Lee went on mortgage to Viktoria Berlin.

Their preparation interval noticed a 3-2 win towards their co-operation membership in Berlin and a 2-1 success towards SV Lafnitz.

GAK 1902 | eleventh place – 12 factors

It will likely be thrilling for us to see how Zeteny Jano will get on throughout his mortgage to the Graz outfit. They’ve tried to keep off relegation hazard by signing Sadik Fofana, Florian Wiegele (on mortgage from Viktoria Pilsen) and Antonio Tikvic (on mortgage from Watford). There have been loads of departures too with Michael Cheukoua, Gabriel Zirngast, Felix Holzhacker, Markus Rusek and Dennis Dressel leaving the membership – who begin with an enormous six-pointer towards SCR Altach! Clear pleasant wins towards Voitsberg (4-0) and Kapfenberg (4-1) give confidence.

SCR Altach | twelfth place – 10 factors

The staff coached by Fabio Ingolitsch have tried to regather over the winter after falling to backside within the desk. Assist in assault ought to come from new signing Marlon Mustapha (from Dusseldorf and Como), whereas striker Gustavo Santos has accomplished his dream of incomes a switch to Japan’s second division. Additional new signings got here within the retuning Benedikt Zech in defence together with Schalke mortgage participant Steve Noode. Alexander Gorgon got here from Poland to spice up the midfield and Florian Dietz was loaned from Cologne in assault.

Can that exercise spark a turnaround? Their final pleasant match towards the Stuttgarter Kickers was received 3-2, whetting the urge for food for a Bundesliga opener at residence to WSG Tirol! We are going to go to Altach on Matchday 21 on Sunday 9 March.

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