"We Must Keep the Opponent Occupied"

The day before the game, head coach Markus Schopp and Melayro Bogarde attended the press conference at the Oberösterreich Arena to answer questions.

Markus Schopp on...

...the game:
"We are facing a team that brings high intensity and, at times, incredible verticality to the pitch. We need to be prepared with good solutions. Additionally, we have to manage to keep the opponent occupied, which will be a key to success."

...the current situation in the Conference League:
"We’ve played two matchdays, but only collected one point so far. This means, in order to dream bigger, we need to not only play a good game tomorrow but also aim to secure all three points."

...the development over the past few weeks:
"There have been many good things in all our games, but also some things that weren’t as good. We know we have to deliver good results in every game. The match against Hartberg gave us some insights. We are managing to concede fewer chances and create more, although the results don’t fully reflect that yet. We need to convert these partial successes into tangible results."

...further improvements:
"The opponent still finds it too easy to get chances and score goals in most games. While we are often able to hurt the opponent, we don’t always get rewarded for it. The balance isn’t right yet, so we need to focus on defending better what we allow and converting the chances we create in the attacking zone."

Melayro Bogarde on...

...the game:
"I expect a tough game. We have to stick to the game plan, and I think we can achieve a victory."

...the Belgian league compared to the Austrian Bundesliga:
"Both leagues are very strong, with many good teams. However, I think the Austrian league is a bit more intense."