Dancing with the champions

Will the new LASK coach be a serial killer?

Salzburg's injured top striker Fernando is spared the Linzers.(Bild: Dostal Harald)

(Bild: Dostal Harald)

LASK will still have to do without their injured captain Robert Zulj in the match against Salzburg - not the only problem for Linz after a change of coach, fan protests and stadium bans. Will the new coach of all people break Salzburg's run of 27 away games without defeat?

You can spin it any way you like ahead of today's match between LASK and Salzburg: it won't be easy for Linz. Not even if you believe in the old adage "New brooms sweep clean". New coach Max Ritscher was part of the system under former coach Thomas Sageder and emphasized that he would not change much and would stick to the Sageder style: "My idea of soccer is that we play intensely, with fire. I want to see a team that gives everything for each other for 90 minutes." And the 30-year-old also used phrases that every new player would probably say: "We have to pull together and act as a cohesive unit." The fact that the champions, of all teams, are coming to Linz in this heated situation caused by a change of coach and fan protests could swing both ways.

Seven Bulls victories
On the one hand, the Bulls have been unbeaten in the Champions Group for 16 games. Salzburg have a clean sheet in all games against Linz in the Champions Group, winning seven out of eight duels! On the other hand, newcomer Max Ritscher of all people could kill off one of the proudest streaks in Bundesliga history: Salzburg have been without defeat in the Bundesliga for 27 away games. The native of East Tyrol will not be able to rely on his life insurance: Captain Robert Zulj is still in the rehab process.

The organized fan scene of Linz will stop supporting the team for 90 minutes today. LASK's reaction in a press release, in which the stadium bans against six fans were also explained: "The club regrets this step to withdraw support from the team. We consider the sanctions to be an alternative in order to protect the values of the club and the visitors."