Autumn went (almost) perfectly for LASK and BW Linz

Even though LASK still has to play the European Cup final against Toulouse on Thursday – after the end of the Bundesliga autumn season, the following applies to both the black-and-white and blue-white Linz: the autumn couldn’t have gone much better. Especially after both teams struggled at the start of the season.

The points yield: The LASK has increased significantly compared to autumn of the previous year. Particularly important: The gap to leaders Salzburg was reduced from twelve to seven points. That gives us hope for a lot in the spring – also with regard to the division of points. Blue-White can also be more than satisfied after promotion and a short start-up time in the upper house: 16 points have been scored in the last twelve games. “Similar to last season in the 2nd league, we got out of a very difficult situation in the Bundesliga and took a big step forward as a team,” says coach Gerald Scheiblehner proudly.

The departures: Both teams had high-profile departures. The black and whites have the departure of Keith Nakamura captured in the collective. It would also be utopian to be able to immediately replace the 12 million euro record transfer one-to-one. Also the criticism of the coach’s departure that flared up at the beginning Didi Kühbauer has long since fallen silent. successor Thomas Sageder has found the right balance. In blue and white, the loss of players was like Matthias Seidl or Fally Mayulu caught as a team.

The long-running favorites: At LASK Tobias Lawal – the only player who played in all league games – proved from the first game that he is more than ready for the role as number 1 in the LASK goal. The situation is similar with the blue and white goalie Nicolas Schmid, who was also on the pitch for the full distance in every league game. While the 26-year-old wasn’t always flawless in the second division, he became a reliable support in goal in the top division.

The new: Away from Andres Andrade The other LASK newcomers are slowly but surely approaching. George Bello There is already a real match on the left side René Renner. For players like Moussa Kone or Ebrima Darboe It will be particularly important to complete the spring preparation without injury. This applies to everyone, as well as to Elias Havel: It’s about long-term development, not about immediate success. The new additions also needed time at Blue and White: Stefan Haudum was an integral part of the team in the autumn finish, Alem Pasic, Conor Noß or Stefan Holiday delivered the first talent test in Austria’s highest league.

The outlook: Without the heavy burden of the European Cup in the group phase, the LASK squad could probably be reduced somewhat in the winter. The squad of the blue and white city rivals is also a bit too big. One or two kickers will therefore not have been satisfied with the playing times in the autumn – like the long-term captain Michael Brandner or summer new arrival Kristijan Dobras. “There have already been discussions about this,” reveals the Blau-Weiß sports director Christoph Schösswendter. His coach has no wish to transfer to the Christ child. Scheiblehner: “I just wish that Ronny (note: striker Ronivaldo) is fit again until preparation.” While no reinforcements are planned in the players’ sector, there could still be new faces: The coaching team is to be expanded with an additional supervisor and a scout.