Rapid seeks revenge against WAC in the sixth Bundesliga match

On Saturday, Wolfsberger AC hosts Rapid as part of the sixth round of the Admiral Bundesliga. After a 1-5 defeat to Salzburg, the Austrian side is seeking redemption and hopes to narrow the gap to the league leaders with a positive result and boost its confidence.

The Carinthians have shown mixed performances in the league and the ÖFB Cup and now want to get back on the winning track. After the recent games they are aiming for a clear victory to reduce the gap to the league leaders.

Previous duels and rivalry

In the previous season, WAC was considered a feared opponent, but Rapid won both meetings and thus secured all season duels against the Carinthians for the first time. Coach Johannes Hoff Thorup reminded that WAC received early red cards in the last two league matches.

"We delivered one of our worst home performances since I arrived here with the 2-0 in the last encounter in February," said Hoff Thorup. "It will be a tough game. We have to give our best and make sure we get back on track in the league."

Position in the battle for the league top

A win against Thomas Silberberger's team could reduce the gap to Salzburg and LASK. Currently, Rapid is only one and three points behind the two rivals in the table.

The current Bundesliga schedule has the duel set for 19:30 at the Lavanttaler Arena. Both teams urgently need a positive result to stay in the race for the league top.

Max Slovencik of BUNDESLIGA reported that WAC's injury situation is burdensome: defender Nicolas Wimmer is out with a serious knee injury, top striker Giacomo Vrioni is sidelined for two weeks with a muscle fiber tear. Nevertheless, Raffael Behounek and Simon Piesinger are available again. "Right now we need to come even closer together," Silberberger demanded after the recent cup round of 16.

Both teams enter the match with clear objectives: Rapid wants to achieve redemption after the heavy defeat, while WAC aims to find its course again in the league. The focus is on the upcoming points that will decide the position in the middle of the table.