7.06.2020 18:31
(Act. 7.06.2020 18:49)
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LIVE ticker for the game Rapid Vienna vs. Sturm Graz from 7.30 p.m.
© APA / HERBERT PFARRHOFER
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Rapid Wien and Sturm Graz will meet on Sunday. Both were without points after the start on Wednesday. We will report live from the game in the ticker from 7.30 p.m.
Rapid and Sturm Graz are already under some pressure in the Sunday hit (7.30 p.m.) of the master group of the 24th round of the Bundesliga. Both remained without a point at the start on Wednesday, especially the Styrians have to write. Rapid, on the other hand, not only has to recover from the 0: 2 against Salzburg, but also have to pretend a trio due to injury.
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Several failures at Rapid Vienna
After Christopher Dibon (cruciate ligament rupture), his central defense colleague Mario Sonnleitner (thigh) and midfielder Thomas Murg (knee) are now at risk of being out for a longer time – the two are certainly not an issue for the storm game. “But that’s still a very good group, I believe in the players we have,” coach Dietmar Kühbauer said on Friday. It is also clear to him that the team will lose leadership players. “We will miss him as a player and human being tremendously,” said Kühbauer especially with regard to Dibon.
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Alternatives would be available, according to Kühbauer, for example, full-back Filip Stojkovic and defensive midfielder Dejan Ljubicic. Or to the young Leo Greiml, who, of course, has only started a season. The pain-free Mateo Barac, on the other hand, is probably not yet fit, the risk is too great. Kühbauer: “The player is very important to me.”
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After the failures, Stefan Schwab is even more in demand as a leader. For the captain, the game against Sturm is an “extremely important sporting game”, as he said. “It’s really tight in the table, we have to keep storm at a distance,” he said, with the current four-point lead over the last-placed Styrians. “The opening defeat set us back immediately. We have to keep storm at a distance, preferably with three points.” His prognosis for the duel with the “very, very disciplined” Grazer: “It will be a very, very tight game in which little things decide.”
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The statistics could, of course, be better from Rapid’s point of view: Rapid has only won three games against Sturm in the last 15 competitions (3-6-6), but was beaten six times in six draws. The balance of the current season looks better: The away game in Graz won Green-White 1-0, at home there was a 1-1.
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Sturm Graz did not really get going this season
On the other hand, Sturm is not really getting going this season. “I am honest enough to say that we have never really been in the front this season,” said coach Nestor El Maestro. That should change on Sunday, four days after the home 1-2 against the WAC. “We lost the opening game, but we are doing well,” said El Maestro. “We feel well on the way to a good game.”
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Such a must also be needed if you want fourth place and thus the direct Europacupplatz, where Rapid is currently located. Victories have been rare lately. The last so far dated February 22 (2-0 against Admira), it was also the only one in the most recent seven games (1-2-4). “We have to achieve more tangible and countable. Only a win helps us really, and we go there to win,” emphasized El Maestro and promised: “On Sunday we will show a lot of effort and sprint strength.”
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El Maestro also has to specify a central defender with the blocked Anastasios Avlonitis, after all he can fall back on his almost fully fit midfield motor Otar Kiteishvili. “Because of his injury, he was a bit inhibited against the WAC,” said the coach, who will be arriving with his team on Saturday.
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LIVE ticker for the game Rapid Vienna against Sturm Graz
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