Before an unequal duel

Patron saint of the stadium warns LASK against Cup runners-up

Union Gurten is a special club.(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

"That's what makes Gurten so strong . . ." Ried legend Klaus Roitinger sees LASK as the clear favorites ahead of Friday night's cup clash. Nevertheless, the 64-year-old predicts that the top club will not have an easy task against the regional league team ahead of the soccer festival in "his stadium". 

He is the coach of the century at SV Ried and thus an Innviertel soccer legend. And he is also the namesake of the stadium in the trade fair city, where the cup highlight Union Gurten - LASK will take place on Friday evening from 6 pm: Klaus Roitinger!

"Of course I'll be at the game," says the 64-year-old. How does he see the duel between the small club from the village of 1200 souls and the club with the 44 million euro squad?

"It's clear who's the favorite," he replies. "Nevertheless, I don't think LASK will underestimate Gurten," explains the Ried legend. But that should be very important, as Roitinger's knowledge of Gurten must sound like a kind of warning to the heavy favorites from Linz.

Klaus Roitinger with Gurten's successful coach Peter Madritsch.(Bild: Scharinger Daniel)

Hear, hear Linzers!

• "Gurten won't get stuck in, but will wait for switching moments."

• "They hardly allowed any chances for a half against Salzburg in 2022 until the unfortunate own goal to make it 1-0 and were certainly not the worse team for 80 minutes against Rapid last year."

• "I know the coach - he not only finds the right tactics, but also the right words."

• "You also have to bear in mind that Gurten only has 1,200 inhabitants, but is number four in Upper Austria in soccer. It's a Gallic village."

• "Most of the players come from the district or at least from the Innviertel. That kind of thing also brings people together. They are all a close-knit unit - that's why the resistance that awaits LASK has really grown."

• "Thanks to the flat hierarchy, from the officials to the coaches to the players, the entire club is also a close-knit, friendly unit. That also frees up energy."