Hartberg for Europe

From great to fantastic in the “Final dahoam”

Dominik Prokop (l. against Manfred Fischer) wants to reach the European Cup via Austria.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"Finale dahoam"! In the very last dance of this year's Bundesliga season, Hartberg will be battling in the European Cup play-off at the Profertil Arena on Tuesday (19) to overturn the 1:2 deficit from the first leg against Austria and qualify for the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League. 3500 tickets have been sold, 4000 fans (including 900 Viennese) are expected.

Some players such as Mario Kröpfl and Manfred Gollner (whose contracts expire, like those of Ehmann, Knoflach and Babuscu) will be officially bid farewell, while veteran Thomas Rotter will take on a new role at the club (possibly also as the leader of the amateurs). We are still waiting to see what happens with some of the "departing" regulars such as Diakite, Sangare and Bowat: "But given their great development and the many observers, I assume that there will be some killer offers from bigger leagues. We probably won't be able to match that, because we don't have a goldmine."

Markus Schopp wants to turn a great season into a fantastic one.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

However, Max Entrup (LASK wants), Manuel Pfeifer (Sturm) and Donis Avdijaj have current contracts: "We're in a better situation than last year." Dominik Frieser (who wants GAK) is also tied down for another year.

Fixed: Goalie Elias Scherf will be brought back from Amstetten as number two - and the eyes to the second division are wide open: striker Andre Leipold (13 goals for Lafnitz) is an issue. But Rapid are also playing poker.

If Hartberg play internationally, the LASK-Arena will be their home ground.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

It is still unclear where Hartberg would have to play in the 2nd qualifying round of the Conference League (25. 7. and 1. 8.). In addition to Linz, Südstadt remains an issue. Rumors about Graz - because Sturm is moving to Klagenfurt - are refuted by chairman Erich Korherr. "Graz has canceled because of the turf issue." Still a long way off for Schopp anyway. "We first have to end a great season as a fantastic one against Austria. We can't afford to make mistakes like in the first leg!"