Tirol is the opponent

Hartberg celebrates its big premiere in the final

So far, the Hartberger (blue) have rarely been stopped.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

On Wednesday evening, the Hartberg volleyball team will start the final series of the Bundesliga for the first time in the club's history. In nine years, the club has developed from a second division team to a title contender. Chairman Manfried Schuller is particularly proud of the club's great work with young talent.

"As an organizer, you couldn't wish for anything better," says Hartberg chairman Manfried Schuller happily. Last weekend, the U20 volleyball team led by coach Markus Hirczy, captain Lukas Glatz and Tobias Willimek qualified for the European Championships in Eastern Styria. For the first time since 1984, they were supported by around 600 fans on every match day.

(Bild: Carina Müller)

In Hartberg, one highlight follows the next! On Wednesday evening, Max Thaller's men will play in a Bundesliga final for the first time in the club's history. Their opponents will be Hypo Tirol. "You have to realize that first, because everything happened pretty quickly," says Schuller.

He has been chairman of TSV again since 2012. The team won the Cup in 2013 and voluntarily returned to the second Bundesliga just two years later. They returned to the Bundesliga in the 2020/21 season. Still a relegation candidate at the time, Hartberg finished the previous season in a sensational third place.

Development of young talent takes time
"We've worked hard for this and developed everything slowly with solid youth development. It takes time, of course, but we are now reaping the rewards," says Schuller proudly. "The fact that it has happened so quickly was a bit of a surprise to us too. We have grown exponentially."

Will the Hartberg jubilation continue in the final series?(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Hartberg are clear underdogs against champions Tirol. "We are the absolute underdogs, but we can live with that. The absolute professional team from Tirol has to win, we can," says the head coach, taking the pressure off the team ahead of the start today in Tirol (20:20). Experience also speaks against the young East Styrian squad. However, they proved on December 21 how the Tyroleans can be beaten when they came out on top 3:1 in the cup semi-final. "We've seen that we can beat them. We'll certainly go into the series more relaxed."