Bellyache in the Bundesliga, all the more hungry in the Conference League: LASK is aiming for first place in its group in the duel at Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday (9 p.m.), which would save the Linzers two games in the knockout round. With the krone.at-LIVETICKER you are there very closely. Current score: 0-0
Here is the live ticker: In the penultimate round of Group A, the decision to win the pool must be made, as neither Alashkert (0 points) nor HJK Helsinki (3) can catch up with the other two teams, who each hold at 10 points. The first leg in Klagenfurt ended 1: 1, a win would definitely give LASK first place ahead of schedule. The promotion to the knockout phase has been guaranteed since the fourth round, but with the group victory you would go straight to the round of 16 (March) and save yourself the intermediate round (February) against a Europa League third. Apart from the 500,000 euros bonus for the three points in Tel Aviv, UEFA would also offer a bonus that was twice as high: 650,000 euros instead of 325,000 euros, and that is also the clear goal of the Upper Austrians. “It’s a final, the motivation is great,” Wieland said on the record. Maccabi is clearly the toughest of the group opponents, that was already evident in the first leg, when they actually gave away two points. “We are aware that we are facing a good quality team and frenetic fans too,” said Wieland with reference to the 30,000-meter boomfield stadium. Because Maccabi parted ways with Dutch coach Patrick van Leeuwen at the end of October and replaced him with Barak Itzhaki on an interim basis, Wieland expected “certain changes, but very little has changed in the play area” a strong away European Cup troupe. Maccabi won all five international games (including qualification) in front of their own audience, while LASK succeeded in all four games abroad (Vojvodina, St. Johnstone, Helsinki, Alashkert) – and all without conceding a goal. “We’re not going on vacation to Tel Aviv and we’re very greedy for first place,” midfielder Lukas Grgic also made clear. Despite the change in the system from three to four backs, LASK has not yet found the right footing. In the most recent 3: 3 against Sturm Graz, Alexander Schlager and Co. gave away a 3: 0 lead. Wieland didn’t just see playful problems in the second half. “It’s also about body language and mentality, I just don’t want to see that anymore,” emphasized the 38-year-old. “It will be important that we can maintain the intensity over the entire game.” As was the case against Sturm, midfield director Peter Michorl (pictured above) after a corona illness and defender Petar Filipovic after his hip operation were not on board on Wednesday. Striker Marko Raguz is not yet match-fit.
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