In concert with the greats

First a lightweight – now Hartberg’s heavyweight

Manuel Pfeifer(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Hartberg's footballers start their mission to become champions on Sunday (5pm) with probably the toughest test of all: Salzburg, away! However, the team from Eastern Styria need not be alarmed by this. Especially not Manuel Pfeifer. The Hartberg native has already fulfilled a boyhood dream with the highlight games.

A look back: Hartberg promoted to the Bundesliga in 2018. With him: Manuel Pfeifer. "But back then I quickly realized that it wouldn't work out!" The reason: physically! But the Hartberg native, whose whole family is at home in the city, didn't hang his head. He found his way back to his home club via detours called Lafnitz and Allerheiligen. As a defender. "In Allerheiligen, coach Zoran Eskinja put me there. I owe him a lot. I was a striker as a kid, but now I can't imagine playing any other position."

In January 2023 under Markus Schopp, it was hard to imagine that this was still the same Manuel Pfeifer from back then. The now 24-year-old had put on around twelve kilos more muscle mass (especially during the coronavirus pandemic). "I knew I had to put on weight." No sooner said than done. Pfeifer is now an integral part of Schopp's starting eleven at left back.

Physically, Pfeifer had to improve.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"But I never gave up on my Bundesliga dream," said Pfeifer, who joined bottom-placed Hartberg in 2023. TSV is now in the championship group. And Pfeifer himself is no longer worth 100,000 euros as he was in Lafnitz times in League Two in 2021, but 800,000! That makes him the second most expensive squad player behind team player Entrup (1.5 million) with the trio Bowat, Komposch and Avdijaj and a TSV "heavyweight"! 

Against Sturm, Pfeifer and Co. fixed the top six.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Has Pfeifer's performance already put him on the radar for other clubs? "Meanwhile, it's quiet," grins Manuel, who is looking forward to the biggest games in the club's history. Championship group - and not in front of empty stands as in Corona times. "Grandma, grandpa, auntie, the whole family is always in the stadium with us. That's wonderful. These games are also something very special for the club." Declared goal: "Salzburg and Sturm are probably ahead, but we're on a par with the others!"