Storm's Ilzer

“Salzburg should not be made so easy”

Christian Ilzer is struggling with personnel problems in the Cup.(Bild: APA/ERWIN SCHERIAU)

"We can't line up in Salzburg with the full squad, but we will try to defy all handicaps and get the maximum out of it!" Sturm coach Christian Ilzer will have to deal with personnel problems on his way to defending the title in the Cup quarter-final on Thursday (20:45). The suspensions of Stankovic and Lavalee are compounded by illness and injuries.

The Red Bull Arena will be packed, the Sturm sector has been sold out for weeks with 1,600 fans, so it's all set for a great soccer festival! "We want to defend our title," says Ilzer, even if Sturm's "top drive promotion" (quote Ilzer) is causing additional problems. Top shoot promotion? "It's normal in nature that when you're at the top, you get even more support!" A small allusion by the coach to the unequal treatment in terms of suspensions after the last league clash between Sturm and Salzburg. Postscript: "I'd like Salzburg not to have it too easy in the national competitions, then the reality shock in the Champions League won't be so great. But we will work on being the biggest branch on the tree ourselves at some point!"

Storm's stabilizer Jon Gorenc-Stankovic is suspended.(Bild: GEPA)

The suspensions of defensive stabilizers Jon Gorenc-Stankovic and Dimitri Lavalee hurt. It is still unclear whether the injured defenders Wüthrich and Affengruber will be able to play. "There's also a case of illness," said Ilzer, who added: "We'll still have eleven men with great quality on the pitch who are on fire!"

What will be needed in contrast to the 0:1 in Graz against Salzburg on Sunday: "We have to find better solutions in the final third, play faster, more precise soccer and, above all, we have to get a grip on Fernando."