The handball players of HC Linz AG could secure their place in the league semi-finals for the second year in a row with a home win over Hard (6:05 p.m. in ORF Sport+) on Saturday. With a 29:27 away win, coach Milan Vunjak’s team has presented in the “Best of 3” series and opened the door to writing league history. Because Hard has never been eliminated before the semi-finals since the introduction of the play-off quarter-finals. “Hard has been an absolute top team for years in terms of structure, resources, coaches and players,” said Uwe Schneider to opponent Rosen. Even today, according to the Linz manager, the troupe is a favorite on paper.
Hard experienced a difficult league season and “only” finished fourth in the regular season. Is the aura of the seven-time champion from Vorarlberg crumbling? “No, you shouldn’t overlook the fact that Hard has achieved something this year by entering the European Cup group stage that hardly any Austrian team has done before. Besides, they just won the cup title,” Schneider waves off. Hard knows the situation of standing with your back against the wall in the quarter-finals from 2019 and 2021, when you only averted elimination in the decider.
“Bumbling Hall”
Meanwhile, HC Linz can build on the mood factor. “The euphoria around the club is huge,” said Schneider, who, in view of the great demand for tickets, expects a “boomful hall” in Linz-Kleinmünchen on Saturday.
When it comes to cast, Vunjak can once again rely on those forces that brought victory in Hard. One or two of the most recently injured supplementary players could return. Ajdin Alkic’s chances are particularly good.
Source: Nachrichten
