Punches and kicks

First details of the brutal attack on Burgstaller

Ex-Rapid captain Guido Burgstaller was brutally beaten in front of the Volksgarten nightclub. His season and presumably also his career are likely to be over due to his injuries.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/GEPA pictures/ Armin Rauthner, Zwefo)

As reported, Rapid professional Guido Burgstaller was severely beaten in front of a posh disco in Vienna at the weekend. He suffered a fracture to the base of his skull. There is still no trace of the suspect. New details have now emerged about the night-time attack.

The Vienna police are playing out the full "program" in the Guido Burgstaller case. The serious altercation with an as yet unknown person, including flying fists, sent the well-known professional footballer straight to hospital.

Mobbed by strangers
The story behind the incident: Burgstaller and several friends were probably finishing off a night of partying in the well-known Volksgarten pub. At around 6 a.m. on Saturday, the group tried to leave the pub and were mobbed in the Heldenplatz area.

According to witnesses, there was an argument between the 35-year-old victim and an as yet unknown man. The investigation is ongoing.

Julia Schick, Sprecherin der Landespolizeidirektion Wien

Rapid professional wanted to settle a dispute
Burgstaller wanted to settle the dispute - then suddenly received a punch and subsequently several kicks. He fell and ultimately suffered a fracture to the base of his skull.

Witnesses immediately alerted the emergency services and a large contingent of paramedics and police arrived. The brutal perpetrator is still on the run.

Remains in hospital for the time being
The Violence Group of the State Criminal Police Office took over the investigation, "Burgi's" club was informed by the management and an official statement was issued to the public: According to Rapid information, he will have to spend the next few days in hospital.

Professional soccer is probably out of the question for several months. Presumably this also means that the striker's career is over. It would have been over in the summer anyway.

Possible jealousy?
According to initial information, a good deal of jealousy was involved in addition to alcohol, but the exact background is still unclear. The questioning is likely to continue for a few more days, and other professional footballers are also likely to be summoned.

In the meantime, the images from the surveillance cameras in the heart of the city are also being analyzed. Police spokeswoman Julia Schick does not want to comment on the case when asked by the "Krone", referring to the dedicated criminal investigation. The pressure on the investigators is naturally high due to the sporting celebrity status of the victim.