SK Rapid Vienna

What’s next for Lion Schuster? The 22-year-old’s contract with Rapid Wien will not be extended, as sporting director Markuskatzer recently announced.

The defender has had bad luck with injuries this season and has not played for the Bundesliga club. Now he has to look for a new job and a light suddenly appears on the horizon.

As the “Krone” reported, Austria Klagenfurt has cast an eye on Schuster. Sports director Matthias Imhof confirms that the 22-year-old “is a candidate. We want to rely more on Austrians,” he explains.

Imhof successor from Hanover?

Imhof will leave the Carinthians at the end of the season and switch to Sandhausen, who have been relegated to the second division. As the “Krone” wants to know, ex-Sturm kicker Manuel Weber (now a player’s advisor) is said to have been offered the job of Imhof, but he turned it down.

Another candidate should be Gerhard Zuber, who was born in Wolfsberg and is currently sports director at Schaub-Klub Hannover 96.

Rapid is said to be in contact with Louis Schaub>>>

With Jonas Auer, SK Rapid secures the next important personnel for the future.

The 22-year-old defender extends his contract until the end of the 2026/27 season. Defense colleague Leopold Querfeld and goalkeeper Niklas Hedl had also extended their working papers in recent weeks.

Auer moved from the Czech first division club Mlada Boleslav to Hütteldorf in the summer of 2021 and has played a total of 68 competitive games in all competitions so far. During this time, the Lower Austrian scored one goal and 15 assists. Auer has played in 34 competitive games this season.

Last March, the flank specialist was called up to the senior national team for the first time by ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick.

Early extensions “in the spirit of the club”

“The first call-up to the national team was further confirmation for me that the move to SK Rapid in the summer of 2021 was absolutely the right step and that I find the best conditions for my sporting and personal development here,” says Auer in a broadcast.

“It is in the interest of the club, but above all in the interest of the player, that decisions about the future are made as early as possible and that there is clarity for both parties. I have repeatedly emphasized that this is what matters to me at the beginning of my term in office to clarify open contract situations and, in the best case, to get contract extensions under wraps,” says sporting director Markuskatzer.

“Following Leo Querfeld and Niki Hedl, it is another strong sign from the club that we have now been able to extend Jonas Auer’s contract for the long term. Joni is a highly modern winger who can be used very variably on the left flank. For a 22-year-old has He also already has a lot of experience and is therefore a very important piece of the puzzle for our future planning.All of us at the club are convinced that Jonas Auer has far more potential than he has already shown and that is why we are happy to have him in in our ranks for the next few years,” Katzener continues.

SK Sturm Graz won Sunday’s top game at the start of the Admiral Bundesliga championship group in front of their home crowd against SK Rapid Vienna 3-1.

In a gripping encounter, the “Blackies” finally prevailed and stayed close on Red Bull Salzburg’s heels.

Right from the start, the spectators in the Merkur Arena in Graz are treated to a real hit game, in which the hosts get off to an ideal start. After a bad pass from Querfeld in the build-up game, Sturm switched over at lightning speed. Prass ideally serves Horvat, who is centrally positioned on the edge of the box. He has an eye for goalgetter Emegha, who doesn’t give Hedl a chance and slides in to make it 1-0 (6′).

Previously, Rapid had bad luck with a Knasmüllner shot that Stefan Hierländer could still block (3rd).

Burgstaller gives guests hope, storm strikes before the break

Despite the early shock, it doesn’t take long for the guests from Hütteldorf to find the right answer. Burgstaller initiates an attack at lightning speed with a throw-in, the ball lands after a change of sides at Schick, who has returned from the starting XI, and who puts the veteran Burgstaller in the limelight in an exemplary manner. The Carinthian doesn’t miss it and scores a worthwhile equalizer (17′).

As a result, the two teams put up a real fight, characterized by tough duels and offensive efforts by both teams.

Shortly before the half-time break, the game really picks up speed again. Rapid combines into the storm sixteen and has a huge opportunity through Kerschbaum and Grüll. Almost in return, Sturm initiates an attack from the left, and active post Schnegg puts Tomi Horvat in the limelight with a sharp cross. Hedl can only clear the Slovenian’s shot at Sarkaria’s feet, who chases the ball into the net (45+1′).

The goal is first disallowed for an alleged offside position, but declared valid after a VAR check. It’s 2-1 at break.

Kiteishvili makes everything clear

Even after the break, Sturm is committed and focused, creating more danger in front of the opposing goal than the guests. Emegha almost puts together a brace in the 53rd minute after a strong one-on-one action, but Hedl excels.

The Hütteldorfer can hardly create chances, seem offensively unimaginative.

Substitute Kiteishvili made the preliminary decision in the 70th minute after a hair-raising miss from Auer.

Emegha serves the Georgian in an exemplary manner with a well-timed pass, Kiteishvili coolly pushes the ball past Hedl into the far corner. Then Rapid can’t think of anything more important, and the Grazers don’t add any more goals either. The game ends with 3:1 for Graz.

This is the next setback for Rapid after the derby bankruptcy and is now fourth in the table.

The SK Sturm, on the other hand, managed an incredibly important victory in the championship race, only three points missing from the league croesus from Salzburg.

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