Austria Wien plays host to SK Sturm Graz on Sunday (5 pm). In the duel between second and third, the Violets want to keep up with the top and remain unbeaten in the calendar year 2022. "It will be a highlight," says coach Manfred Schmid.

The conditions for a top match could not be much better. While Sturm Graz has only lost once in seven games this spring (0:1 at Salzburg), Austria Wien is still unbeaten and has won five matches.

Incidentally, the last time this was achieved was in 2013, when Manfred Schmid was the Violets' assistant coach. In the first eight Bundesliga games of a calendar year, Austria previously remained unbeaten only in 1985 and 1977. So 37 years after the last time, there is a chance to do so again on Sunday.

The demands have risen

It won't be easy, though: "We're up against a strong team, Sturm plays very intensively, at a high tempo, and we'll have to counter that," Schmid knows. "But we certainly won't throw everything out the window, we have to be dynamic and physical, be tactically disciplined, then we'll get our chances."

Most recently, things didn't go according to plan against Austria Klagenfurt - for Schmid also an indication that his own expectations have risen. "Not because of the result, but simply how we performed." That should now go better again against Sturm Graz.

Marco Djuricin, who has scored in the last three Bundesliga games, is also a piece of the puzzle. Before that, he only managed to do so in the spring and fall of 2014, and never four times in a row. Is there the premiere on Sunday? "Marco just has to keep working consistently. He has the quality in front of goal, just has that flair for scoring. If he keeps at it, he will score his goals," Schmid is convinced.

"Top match" as a distinction

The coach is also sure about the fans: "There will be a lot of spectators in the stadium again, including many of our fans. That is very important for us and a decisive factor that pushes the players. I've said this several times, the fans have always supported us throughout the season, even when things didn't go our way once."

Schmid sees the fact that Sunday's match will also be dubbed a top match in terms of perception as a "nice distinction. We have worked for it and also deserved it. We play as third against the second, it will certainly be a highlight for us," says the coach.