Must perform to the maximum against Tirol

Austria Wien will play WSG Tirol at 5:00 pm on Sunday at the end of the basic round of the ADMIRAL Bundesliga. The Violets will be keen to pick up a win before the points are shared, but have been warned by the courageous Tyroleans.

Immediately after the final whistle in the home game against Austria Klagenfurt, still on the pitch, coach Stephan Helm demanded that his players have just as good a training week as the last one in order to be well prepared for the game against WSG Tirol.

And Dominik Fitz & Co delivered: ‘The training week was very good, I'm really pleased’, explained Helm. ‘It's also very pleasing that all the players are fit again. Joe Handl has also returned to training, even if we still have to be a little more careful with him. But we are in a very good position and have prepared well for Tirol.’

Unfortunate defeats for the Tyroleans in Linz

That will also be necessary, as the tenth-placed team's appearance is deceptive: WSG recently lost narrowly 1-2 in Linz against both LASK and Blau-Weiß, only conceding the decisive goal in stoppage time in both games. Prior to that, they picked up a point against WAC, Salzburg and Hartberg.

‘Tirol have kept the last few games, and many games in general this season, very close. We're up against a very well-organised team that is bold and takes certain risks’, says Helm. This is precisely where the Violets need to start, because ‘on the one hand, that's their strength, and on the other, we might be able to use it to our advantage’.

Tyrol is not easy ground

Philipp Wiesinger agrees: ‘We have analysed them well. They want to play football and come out from the back. That's where we want to start and surprise them. We have already resolved to take the flow with us and ideally want to move into the championship group with a win. Plus, with three points, it's always a bit more relaxed during the league break.’

Helm, who will be without captain Manfred Fischer due to yellow card suspension, also knows that ‘Tirol is not an easy place to play’. As always, the focus is on the team's own performance: ‘If we perform to our maximum, then we will take something with us, I am convinced of that.’