Top match at the Raiffeisen Arena: LASK faces Rapid

With a 2-1 away victory on Wednesday against TSV Hartberg, the Linz team has set themselves up well for the remaining four rounds in the final phase. With another full success against the Hütteldorfers (secure your tickets now), the Black and Whites can distance themselves from the upcoming opponents by eight points and take an important step towards third place. This requires a similarly strong performance as last Wednesday in Styria.

The probability of a late goal on Sunday is quite high: The winning goal in stoppage time in Hartberg was already the seventh goal of the Athletikers in the current season after the 90th minute, which ranks them first in the league in this regard ahead of Rapid (5). Another good omen is the record in the Raiffeisen Arena: The LASK has won six of the last eight home games in the championship group, and in the most recent ten matches in front of their own crowd in the final phase, the Black and Whites were only without a goal once.

The recent direct encounters have all been extremely close, with the teams sharing points four times in a row. Following a 1-1 draw at the start of the current season, there was a 3-3 draw and a 0-0 draw in Hütteldorf. Since November 2022, and thus for five matches, the LASK has remained undefeated against the Green-Whites, a feat not achieved since 1981 to 1983. Similarly, the home record brings good omens, with no loss against Rapid for over three years. In the second home encounter with the Viennese team this season, LASK will have to do without injured players as well as Philipp Ziereis, who is suspended due to yellow cards. Branko Jovicic is still unavailable due to a calf injury.

The LASK has announced the lifting of house bans with immediate effect, following a first constructive meeting between Dr. Siegmund Gruber (CEO of LASK) and Dr. Johannes Lehner (Legal Counsel of LASK) along with representatives of the active fan scene. In response to the incidents on April 7, 2024, during the away game against SK Sturm Graz, where protest actions led to match interruptions, the LASK had initially imposed house bans on certain members of the active fan scene.

During this meeting, the organized fan scene assured the LASK of their commitment to refraining from organizing or supporting protest actions that lead to match interruptions or endangerment of others, showing a willingness to engage in long-term constructive dialogue.

The LASK trusts in this assurance and, as a result, has lifted the house bans with immediate effect. The respectful atmosphere of dialogue between the LASK and the organized fan scene will be maintained, with regular discussion forums established for ongoing communication.

Until Friday afternoon, approximately 15,700 tickets had been sold for the match against Rapid. Tickets for the match can still be purchased in our online shop right up until the start of the game.

LASK - SK Rapid
Su, 2024/04/28, 2.30 p.m.
Raiffeisen Arena, Referee Christopher Jäger

Missing: Renner, Ljubic, Mustapha, Zulj, Jovicic, Ziereis