Challenge at league leader Sturm Graz

In recent weeks, the Violets have been able to boost their confidence with a 4-0 home win against Blau Weiß Linz, a 2-0 win in Tirol, a 0-0 win in the Vienna derby (with two men less) and a commanding 4-0 Cup win in St. Anna. The last time Austria played four games in a row to nil was in the summer of 2016, when they did so season-long in 2015/16 and 2016/17. Within a season, the last time they managed that with Heinz Lindner was in August 2013 against Dinamo Zagreb, Wr. Neustadt, Rapid and Hafnarfjörður.

"It's always nicer to train when you've had a sense of achievement beforehand - there's more laughter. Basically, the mood in the team was always good. It wasn't all bad before, but it's not all good now either - the results have simply been good lately. We are doing well to continue working, to continue to trust the players and to give them the chance to develop," explained Michael Wimmer.

Sturm Graz, the current league leaders, await Austria on Sunday. Coach Christian Ilzer's team has won eight of its eleven games this season and is still unbeaten in the Bundesliga. That's why Sturm are four points clear of title favourites FC Red Bull Salzburg at the top of the table after half of the season. The Styrians won the first season duel in the first round in Vienna-Favoriten clearly with 3:0. On Thursday evening Sturm managed a 2:2 draw against Atalanta Bergamo in the UEFA Europa League while being shorthanded:

"We need 100 percent passion"

"I watched the game yesterday and it was impressive to see the power and intensity Sturm showed. They absolutely deserved a point against a top Italian team. On Sunday, we can expect a game in which our opponents will, as always, play aggressively and intensively. We have to counter with the same aggressiveness, be defensively stable and play boldly forward in our own possession," says Michael Wimmer, who doesn't expect the opponent to be tired:

"I don't think Sturm will mind the English week. They have a really good and broad squad. I think that a game like yesterday is more of a push than a paralysis. Therefore, we will need 100 percent passion to play a good game there."

Personnel news

Tin Plavotić is still out, but is already training individually on the pitch and will soon be able to rejoin team training. Marvin Potzmann has been ill since Tuesday and is therefore questionable. Lucas Galvão is definitely not in the squad for Sunday, but the experienced central defender can already take part in team training again and could be an option for the Cup Round of 16 against Austria Klagenfurt next Wednesday. Otherwise, the long-term injured Ziad El Sheiwi, Florian Wustinger and Marko Raguž are missing.