Rapid chase ten‑match home streak as WAC aims to break it
Rapid will aim to keep their unbeaten home record against Altach for a tenth straight match on Sunday at 19:00 live on Sky, while Austria Wien travel to the Lavanttal Arena to try to end the Wiener Klubs’ home series and promoted Aufsteiger Austria Lustenau host SV Ried in their Bundesliga comeback.
Fußball‑Rekordmeister Rapid starts the Abschluss of the 1st Bundesliga round with a Heimspiel against Altach in the new Saison, buoyed by the Selbstvertrauen gained from their Aufstieg to the Conference League’s third qualifying round. The Hütteldorfer see the Erfolgserlebnis as a springboard for the season.
"Der Start war auf jeden Fall ganz ordentlich, nicht nur von den Ergebnissen, sondern auch von den Leistungen", said Innenverteidiger Jakob Schöller, who completed the preparation without injury. His comment underlines the positive Start for the team.
Trainer Johannes Hoff Thorup added that Altach is "ein komplett anderer Gegner" and expects seven to eight players from the 1:1 Altach match on 1 March to start, highlighting Kontinuität. He also noted that Romeo Amane may be ready for the upcoming Europacup match.
WAC wants at least 14 000 fans against Altach to stay unbeaten for the Mal 10 in the Folge and hopes for a Zu‑Null Sieg in the fifth season home game. The Lokalrivale Austria Wien will try to end the Wiener home series in the Lavanttal Arena.
Altach trainer Ognjen Zarić called Rapid one of the Top‑Drei‑Teams of the Liga and warned that "six Tore muss man erst einmal erzielen" against them. He stressed the quality of the opponent.
WAC trainer Thomas Silberberger, who lifted the club from the Kärntner dirt in the season finish, said the team wants to maximise the existing Aufbruchstimmung. The Wolfsberger have been unbeaten at home for eight games in the Bundesliga, with no Gegentreffer in the last four Heimspiele.
Austria trainer Stephan Helm said, "Am Sonntag müssen wir schauen, dass wir unsere besten Spieler auf den Platz bringen", while Kapitän Manfred Fischer called a win a good Generalprobe for the Thursday Europacup‑Hinspiel. Both stress the importance of the Erfolg.
Aufsteiger Austria Lustenau, after two years in the 2nd Liga, welcomes SV Ried with coach Markus Mader expressing great excitement. New coach Mario Despotović added that the promoted side has a good Kader and will be mutig from the start.
Technical data for the 1st round shows Rapid missing Ndzie, Nunoo, Mbuyi, Marcelin and Vincze through injury, with Romeo Amane listed as fraglich. WAC will be without Wiesinger (rekonvaleszent) and Dragovic (Kopfverletzung). Lustenau lack Pomer (verletzt). The line‑ups for each Spiel are detailed with SR and Uhr times.