With the first entry for the coming season, LASK is making its ambitions clear: It is only a matter of time before Filip Stojkovic’s free transfer from Rapid to the athletes becomes official.
Robust, experienced, strong in tackles, uncompromising – Stojkovic was one of the best right defenders in the Bundesliga after Salzburg’s Rasmus Kristensen. Coach Dietmar Kühbauer wanted a reinforcement in this position because he sees Florian Flecker in a more offensive role and not as a replacement for the previous regular player Marvin Potzmann. Kühbauer knows Stojkovic very well from their time together at Rapid – and also knows that the Montenegrin team player can fill the management vacuum in the squad. Most recently, Stojkovic Rapid led the field several times as captain. He should help to solve two problems at the same time, especially since James Holland’s return to Austria Wien is also only missing official confirmation.
Celebration with cup winner Dragovic
Stojkovic left Rapid in dissatisfaction: when the move to LASK was foreseeable, sports director Zoran Barisic publicly withdrew the offer to extend the contract. Stojkovic was also one of several players who were no longer considered in the play-off finals because of the departure. Because the Montenegrin was in Belgrade on Saturday to be there for his ex-club Red Star’s cup victory (Aleksandar Dragovic and Co. won the double after the championship title by beating Partizan Belgrade 2-1), Rapid terminated his contract without notice.
Rapid in the European Cup
Stojkovic, as a pacemaker, will not play in the European Cup when LASK restarts: Rapid won the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference League yesterday after beating 2-1 in Tirol in the final first leg of the play-offs with a 2-0 win at home. Robert Ljubicic (29th) and Nicolas Binder (87th) scored the goals. (like)
The European Cup starters
Champions League
Champion: FC Salzburg
Group stage: draw 25 August, games from 6 September
Second: SK Sturm Graz
3rd qualifying round: draw July 18th, game dates July 2nd/3rd August, August 9th
Europe League
Third: FK Austria Vienna
Play-off: draw August 2nd, game dates August 18th, August 25th
Europe Conference League
Fourth: Wolfsberger AC
3rd qualifying round: draw 18 July, match dates 4 August, 11 August
Play-off winners: Rapid
2nd qualifying round: draw 15 June, match dates 21 July, 28 July
Source: Nachrichten
