17th round in the Austrian Bundesliga: SK Sturm Graz welcomes SCR Altach. We report live (see below).
Here is the LIVE TICKER: Sturm Graz wants to maintain at least the two-point gap to league leaders Salzburg in the home game against Altach. The Blackys recently showed weaknesses, and the Europa League representatives’ reserves will be tapped again before the winter break. “We have the last home game in the fall where we want to give it our all to win,” said coach Christian Ilzer, who had to deal with several illnesses. Jusuf Gazibegovic, Jon Gorenc-Stankovic, Stefan Hierländer and David Schnegg were injured during the week health problems, but the quartet could still be fine until Sunday – in contrast to Alexandar Borkovic and Bryan Teixeira. On Thursday they paid a visit to the children’s cancer ward at the LKH in Graz and handed out gifts. Logically, that’s not what they plan to do against Altach. “No miracles can be expected from us on Sunday. But we want to get the basics right and show a unified team performance,” said Ilzer. The sick, injured (Gregory Wüthrich, Seedy Jatta) and suspended players (Javier Serrano) present Ilzer with challenges, but it should be fine for a seasoned team. “In the situation you have to be flexible, not complain and have to make the best of it,” emphasized the coach, whose team is still in international demand four days later. Even a defeat at Sporting Lisbon could be enough to overwinter in the EL – if their competitor Rakow Czestochowa, who has the same number of points, also comes away empty-handed against Atalanta Bergamo. “Mentally it’s not difficult,” said Ilzer with regard to the last few meters before the turn of the year. “Because we still have two cool games waiting for us in which we can still make good strides. The key is to be aggressive and snappy and get the most out of it,” explained the 46-year-old. In contrast to Sturm, who recently had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Blau-Weiß Linz, Altach goes into the game with a sense of success. The 3-0 win in the Ländle derby against Austria Lustenau was “a liberating move,” explained defensive man Sandro Ingolitsch. Coach Joachim Standfest, whose team had previously only scored one point, also appeared relieved. “It’s a huge relief for the team that we’ve finally rewarded ourselves.” Standfest was particularly pleased that they were scored three times against Lustenau. After all, there had only been one goal in six games before that. “We were very dynamic at the front, that’s where we want to start,” emphasized the former Sturm kicker. “We’re not going to Graz to leave the three points there.”
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