Bundesliga Live Updates

Derby! LASK vs. SV Ried—LIVE starting at 7:30 p.m.

LASK Coach Didi Kühbauer(Bild: APA/EXPA/ REINHARD EISENBAUER)

Upper Austria derby in the third round of the Austrian Bundesliga. LASK hosts SV Ried; we’ll be reporting live starting at 7:30 p.m.—see the live ticker below.

Here’s the live ticker:

Three games, three wins, 12-0 goal difference: Reigning soccer champions LASK aim to extend their perfect start to the season in the Upper Austrian derby against SV Ried. The Linz-based team has built on the performances of their double-winning season in both the Cup and the league and could solidify their lead at the top of the table with a home win in the third round. LASK coach Dietmar Kühbauer is looking forward to an emotional showdown against the Innviertler. “The derby is always something special.”

Didi Kühbauer(Bild: APA/EXPA/ REINHARD EISENBAUER)

After all, last season Ried celebrated a 3-1 away win in Linz. “We lost the derby last year and will do everything we can to win it this time,” Kühbauer emphasized. In February, Linz equalized 1–1 in the Innviertel at the last minute; in the Cup semifinal, LASK prevailed 2–1 in extra time during a heated match. “It’s sure to be an emotional game, and we’re looking forward to the challenge,” said Kühbauer, predicting, “I expect emotions to run high, but not to get out of hand.”

  This is in contrast to the scene after the Cup victory, when Kühbauer refused to shake hands with his counterpart, Maximilian Senft. Prior to that, the LASK players had celebrated too provocatively in front of the Ried fans, who in turn were subjected to sustained insults. “Emotions are part of soccer. On the field—yes; on the bench—no,” explained Kühbauer.

Kalajdzic’s Farewell
There will be emotional moments even before kickoff. Goal-scorer Sasa Kalajdzic, who was on loan from Wolverhampton to Linz during their double-winning season, will be officially honored. The ÖFB striker returned to the Premier League relegation-stricken club this summer, though media reports suggest he is no longer part of their plans. “I’d carry him through Linz if he came back to us,” Kühbauer announced. The 29-year-old’s contract with the “Wolves” still has one year remaining, but a move to a top league seems more likely given his multi-million salary.

Sasa Kalajdzic(Bild: GEPA)

  For LASK, this is also a chance for a successful dress rehearsal ahead of the European Cup showdown against Celtic. The Scots are the final hurdle on the path to the Champions League; the first leg is scheduled for Wednesday in Glasgow. “It would be bad if we were already thinking about Celtic,” Kühbauer emphasized. “We’re totally focused on Ried; anything else wouldn’t be right.”

Ried Wants to “Take Something Home”
The Innviertel side is looking to celebrate its first league win of the season in the 70th Upper Austria derby. After a 1-1 draw at promoted Austria Lustenau, Ried suffered a narrow 1-2 loss to Rapid on Sunday. “We’re going into this derby as underdogs, but we’re very optimistic that, with the support of our fans from Linz, we can come away with something,” said Stefan Schwab.

Mario Despotovic(Bild: APA/EXPA/ UWE WINTER)

For SVR head coach Mario Despotovic, his first Upper Austria Derby is something special. “Now we’re heading to face the league leaders, and we know that LASK has a lot of quality in their ranks. For us, this is an exciting challenge,” said the coach. Schwab added: “We have to play our game, clearly improve defensively, and also get even better offensively.”