Rapid made a classic false start in the football spring of 2022. After the end of the cup quarterfinals against Hartberg (1:2) and the 1:2 defeat in the Bundesliga duel with champions Salzburg, the green-whites are waiting today (6.45 p.m., ServusTV) the third home game in a row. When entering the knockout phase of the Europa Conference League, Ferdinand Feldhofer’s team will face Vitesse Arnhem and ex-ÖFB team striker Adrian Grbic.
A full Allianz stadium is not to be expected. “It will probably be the magnitude of the duels with Famagusta (11,400 fans, note) and Luhansk (10,300, note)”, suspects Rapid’s business director Christoph Peschek. Sports director Zoran Barisic expects his team to improve. “I want to see that everyone is passionate about the game and going above and beyond to please our fans. We want to fight for everyone to get back into the stadium.” A home win over the sixth-placed Dutch Eredivisie team in the round of 16 would be the first step towards improvement.
Vitesse is also struggling with form. The Arnhem-based club lost their last four competitive games – 3-1 against Groningen, 3-0 at Twente, 5-0 at Ajax Amsterdam and 5-0 against PSV Eindhoven. “We knew that February would be a difficult month for us. But these results were a setback,” said Grbic before the duel with his youth club. In any case, Rapid cannot expect any gifts from the 25-year-old. “I know my strengths. A striker thrives on goals, the momentum is still missing, but it will come,” said Grbic. Vitesse’s trainer is ex- Liefering and Austria coach Thomas Letsch (D).
“Off to hell”
FC Barcelona, spoiled by success, has said goodbye to the Champions League, the journey continues in the Europa League. And today (6.45 p.m.) with the play-off first leg against Napoli. “Unfortunately we’re in this competition now, it’s not the right place for us,” thinks “Barca” coach Xavi with nostalgia for the glorious past. The Spanish newspaper “AS” headlined “Off to Hell”, while “Marca” wrote of “Downfall”.
Source: Nachrichten
