After the thug attack

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Guido Burgstaller(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

After his interview with the "Krone", Guido Burgstaller now also spoke on the Rapid podcast "Vereinhören" about his comeback plans following the night-time attack in Vienna's city center - and the green-and-white striker reveals what he is still struggling with. 

Training with head protection is apparently not yet going as planned. "I'm still struggling with that. I'm trying out a few things." One thing is clear: the 36-year-old's contract expires at the end of April. Burgstaller emphasized that a comeback is a major goal. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing all this shambles here." On the one hand, he is too ambitious for that. "And maybe I also want to repay my gratitude in this way."

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Because: He is "doing well, really well after all the circumstances", says the striker. The aim is to make a comeback this season. "Absolutely," said Burgstaller, who has been training lightly again for a few weeks. However, it is not possible to predict when he will return to the pitch.

"I didn't expect things to pick up so quickly. It was a tough time, I had some tough moments. But now I'm glad that I'm basically fine and have no permanent damage," said Burgstaller. He spoke of how "incredibly lucky" he had been and thanked everyone for their wishes for his recovery.

Problems with ear, sense of taste and smell
In the early hours of December 14 last year, a 23-year-old had punched him in the face following a verbal dispute. Burgstaller fell accidentally and suffered a basilar skull fracture with bleeding in the brain. After rehab, he would now have problems with one ear, his sense of taste had not yet returned properly, nor had his sense of smell. He is also more sensitive to light. "But I don't want to be so negative about that, I'm happy with the way things are. I can deal with it well."

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

He was honored as Rapid Player of the Year 2024 at the Allianz Stadium on March 1 before the match against Altach. "That was certainly the most emotional moment of my career," said the 35-year-old looking back. He had to fight back tears.

Good feedback after first sessions
After many check-ups with doctors, his return to training is now taking place step by step. "As an athlete, you want to get back as quickly as possible, but you can't estimate how long it will take. You have to feel your way. So far, the feedback from my body and head has been positive," reported Burgstaller. He has to listen to his body. "Do you get a headache? Do you get dizzy? Do you see double images when your pulse and blood pressure go up over a longer period of time? We're currently testing that out."