LASK is the champion

A sweetheart, potential adoptions, and a wild party

LASK not only delivered a truly great season, but also provided some truly great emotions on Sunday.(Bild: GEPA)

Championship kisses, hugs, a newly discovered “Schatzi,” even publicly voiced adoption requests—and simply a massive party: LASK really let loose after clinching the title against Wiener Austria.

“You didn’t see that coming, sweetie, did you?” Yes, the expected journalistic distance was hardly evident. Though Sky reporter Marko Stankovic could hardly resist the affection from LASK star striker Sascha Horvath. The latter gave the interviewer a friendly hug and cheered during the interview: “It feels good to be champion.” Horvath had already been part of Wiener Austria’s championship squad back in 2013. Back then, he was a 17-year-old youngster. And alongside a certain Marko Stankovic.

Cheers! Sascha Horvath toasts the title.(Bild: GEPA)

Of course, the super dribbler left a much bigger mark on the current championship title with his LASK team. Horvath has matured. And as a newly crowned (double) champion, he really enjoyed himself on the field. At 4:46 p.m., the object of desire was in Horvath’s hands. After Linz’s 3-0 win over Wiener Austria at the Generali Arena, the LASK captain received the Bundesliga championship trophy from league executive Christian Ebenbauer. This was followed by the obligatory shower of confetti, before the LASK pros celebrated with the trophy in front of the thousands of fans who had traveled with them.

(Bild: GEPA)

“I’d love to adopt it”
It was by no means the only display of affection that afternoon. Hugs everywhere, nonstop cheering—and even an adoption request. “I’m so proud of the team. I’d love to adopt all my players,” joked successful coach Didi Kühbauer. Before the thought of his wife even brought tears to his eyes.

Star striker Samuel Adeniran looked incredibly stylish on the field. He draped a U.S. flag over his athletic frame, paired with a pair of cool sunglasses and a promise: “This party isn’t going to end anytime soon. I think I’ll even keep celebrating over in the U.S.”

(Bild: GEPA)

Adeniran, just like a certain Sasa Kalajdzic, was a key figure in LASK’s successful season. What would he have said after eight or nine rounds if someone had told him that LASK would be champions? “That it’s optimistic,” he replied, as cool as he usually is in the penalty area. During the final match on Sunday against Wiener Austria, he was quickly in good spirits. “Even after the 2-0 lead, we all felt like the game was in the bag,” said Kalajdzic: “The penalty wasn’t a dive on my part. It was a clumsy move by the goalkeeper, but I took full advantage of it. Kühbauer always demands a lot from you, but he also gives you room to grow. Coming to LASK was the right move for me. We’ll see what happens next for me.”

And the club president was also bursting with pride. “It’s really cool that we clinched it today—and the team played with such confidence,” celebrated Siegmund Gruber—who had given Kalajdzic a downright fatherly hug on the field.

Sasa Kalajdzic “celebrates” the championship title on the shoulder of President Siegmund Gruber.(Bild: GEPA)

“That was championship-worthy. Congratulations to the team, the coach and the coaching staff, the sponsors, and of course the fans,” Gruber continued. And regarding his successful coach, he added: “There aren’t many better coaches in the Austrian Bundesliga than Kühbauer; we always had him on our list.”