Vienna derby

Masked Rapid supporters attend Vienna derby

Some Rapid fans will be in the stadium for the 344th Vienna derby despite being banned. The challenge: to remain unrecognized.

18 squad players, Robert Klauß' coaching team, head of sport Markus Katzer and a trio from the club's own media department. That was it. Rapids president Alexander Wrabetz, managing director Steffen Hofmann and all other officials will avoid favorites today. Not a boycott. But out of respect after the decision not to allow visiting fans. "That has been agreed with Austria, they won't be coming to us either," Wrabetz confirms the mutual agreement. The 344th Vienna derby will therefore see the smallest green-white delegation ever. Even worse than during Corona ...

Violet contacts
But one or two "sleepers" will sneak into the Generali-Arena today. There are some "all-rounders" at Rapid, fans who in some cases haven't missed a competitive match for decades (!). To make sure their streaks don't break, their violet contacts (i.e. friends: yes, there is such a thing) have got them tickets. But they have to act incognito in the stands, of course without fan merchandise, the green colors are forbidden, cheering must be suppressed. That will also be a challenge ...

By the way, Rapid also want to end a series today. Green-White have never won a derby under the direction of referee Julian Weinberger. The Viennese policeman has only refereed three derbies - Rapid lost two (0:1, 0:2) and only drew 1:1.