On Sunday (5 pm), the 333rd Viennese derby will take place at the Generali Arena. Coach Manfred Schmid and Sports Director Manuel Ortlechner are relaxed despite the current situation in the standings and look forward to the derby with confidence.

"It's strange," Manfred Schmid explained at the press conference before the derby. "On the one hand, we are after five rounds on the last place, which is of course not our claim and with which we are all not satisfied. On the other hand, it is the good performances of recent weeks that make me positive."

You can tell from week to week that the self-confidence and confidence are also rising within the team, adds the head coach. Manuel Ortlechner also strikes the same note. "It's paradoxical and looking at the table honestly makes me angry because I think the group has not been rewarded for its efforts."

Focused & concentrated – over 90 minutes

Nevertheless, the sports director senses a certain basic serenity within himself: "I get what's happening here during the week, people are working insanely hard and intensively. A lot has happened around the team in the summer, which is why a not insignificant finding process is taking place that is now entering the final phase."

For Schmid, it is also important in this context that not only those responsible and the coaching team believe in success, but also the team itself. The first win should therefore follow in the derby: "We have to keep our focus and concentration throughout the entire game. In Graz, we managed to do that well for long stretches, but shortly after the break we had a phase in which we could lose the game completely. That must not happen to us," warns the coach.

Schmid does not yet want to reveal how the Veilchen will lay it out in the derby. "Our system worked well against Sturm Graz, but that doesn't mean it will work in the derby. We have already played several variants, one of which you will see again on Sunday."

High praise for the purple fans

Ortlechner, Schmid & Co will then also see thousands of Austria fans in the Generali Arena. "I think it's magnificent that the fans are sticking by us like this despite the current situation, that's not a matter of course. They see our work and honor that as well. That was the case in Salzburg despite the defeat, that was the case in the last two home games and that was especially the case in Graz," said the sports director, pleased with the great support.

Marvin Martins is still out of action and is not an issue for the derby, all other players were ready for action until the end.