Preview of the cup semi-final against Hartberg

Austria Wien welcome TSV Hartberg to the Generali-Arena on Wednesday (8:30 pm) in the semi-final of the UNIQA ÖFB Cup. Stephan Helm's team will go into the match with a broad chest, but will not take Hartberg lightly and have been warned.

After the opener in the championship group in Linz, the Cup semi-final against Hartberg follows on Wednesday. More than 13,600 tickets have been sold, and in addition to the East Stand, the North and South Stands are also sold out. Austria fans with a season ticket are guaranteed a place, day tickets are still available online at fak.at/tickets and in the fan shop.

Focus on playing football

The anticipation for the match is great, as is the motivation. But first and foremost, the focus is on the task. ‘We remain realistic. We know that we are playing a very good season that is above expectations. We have also worked hard to ensure that we are now seen in a different light. It's nice that we can give many people around us something to dream about, but we're keeping our focus on the most important thing - and that's playing football’, says Stephan Helm.

And that's exactly what his team should do again on Wednesday with a certain ease. ‘We can expect a very experienced team with an experienced coach who also knows Austria very well. However, we'll focus on ourselves, concentrate on our own strengths and want to bring them to the pitch. If we manage to do that, we'll be one step closer to our goal of reaching the final.’

Dragović: ‘We have to give our all, 98 per cent won't enough’

For Hartberg, however, it will be a case of déjà vu. The Styrians had already visited the Generali-Arena in the quarter-finals, when they faced SV Stripfing. The violet co-operation club held their own for a long time and fought their way into extra time, in which Hartberg ultimately prevailed 2-0. Things have not yet gone according to plan in the championship in the 2025 calendar year, with one win (2-1 against Rapid), three draws and three defeats from the six games so far, most recently at Blau-Weiß Linz (1-4) and at home against Austria Klagenfurt (2-3).

Nevertheless, Aleksandar Dragović is aware of the difficulty of the game. ‘We're playing at home in front of our fans, they'll push us hard as always and of course we want to win together. But Hartberg won't come to Vienna and give us the win, they want to reach the final just as much. It won't be an easy game, it will be hard work from the first to the last second. We all have to give our all, 98 per cent won't be enough’, said the 34-year-old, demanding maximum concentration.

Meanwhile, the violet coaching team can almost call on a full squad, with only Hakim Guenouche (heel contusion) and long-term injuries to Florian Wustinger and Ziad El Sheiwi ruled out for Wednesday.