For the right to finish ninth in the Austrian Bundesliga this season, WSG Swarovski Tirol and Grazer AK clash at Tivoli Stadion Tirol on Friday night.
The Wattens lost out at the end of a five-goal thriller last weekend, whilst Die Roten managed a narrow success over LASK Linz on home soil during their penultimate fixture of the term.
Match preview
After finishing 11th in the Austrian Bundesliga during the 2023-24 campaign – avoiding relegation to the second tier by one place and just three points – WSG Swarovski Tirol have made an improvement this time around and possess no realistic fears of suffering a drop on Friday night.
That being said, the Wattens have hardly been in sensational form of late, losing three of their most recent quartet of league fixtures, with the latest of those defeats arriving on Saturday afternoon, when Conference League-chasing Hartberg won in the last minute courtesy of a Jed Drew strike.
Arguably the best performer on the pitch at PROfertil ARENA in Hartberg last time out, WSG Tirol attacker Bror Blume chipped in with a goal and an assist on the road for the visitors, with the 33-year-old Dane netting twice and providing five assists across seven matches in the Relegation Group so far.
Collecting a mere three points from their last four top-flight battles, the Wattens are sitting 3rd in the Relegation Group ahead of Friday night’s season finale, with the nine-point gap to second-placed Hartberg meaning that European football is unattainable for the hosts.
Not unusual for a side struggling near the foot of the top-flight standings, WSG Tirol have failed to set the world alight on home soil in recent times, with Philipp Semlic‘s boys winning just two of their last nine Austrian Bundesliga contests at Tivoli Stadion Tirol over a seven-month period.
Since the surprise 3-0 home defeat to Hartberg on April 22, Grazer AK have enjoyed a four-game unbeaten streak in the Austrian Bundesliga, squashing any worries of an immediate return to the second tier of Austrian football just 12 months after they title-winning success.
Die Roten picked up only their second victory of the Relegation Group last weekend, when a second-half strike from Spezia loanee Tio Cipot was enough to earn maximum points at the expense of LASK, who were down to 10 men after just 14 minutes due to the dismissal of Andres Andrade.
One more game away from enjoying an unbeaten May schedule, Grazer are currently occupying fourth spot in the Relegation Group ahead of Friday’s trip to Tirol, three points ahead of bottom side Austria Klagenfurt, who would need to overturn a 16-point deficit in goal difference to surpass Ferdinand Feldhofer‘s side on the final day.
As a result, Die Roten are all-but secured of back-to-back campaigns in the Austrian Bundesliga, a competition that they have won on one occasion during the 2003-04 term – the same year in which they also managed to lift the Austria Cup, completing a historic domestic double.
A 16-goal star of Grazer’s promotion-winning campaign during 2023-24, Daniel Maderner has stepped up to the top-flight stage this season to fire his troops to safety, with the 29-year-old striker bagging eight goals across all competitions, including seven strikes in the Bundesliga.
Team News
WSG Tirol remain without the services of goalkeeper Alexander Eckmayr, who has been sidelined since the middle of March owing to a knee injury.
The hosts are also unable to call upon the talents of Lukas Sulzbacher (knee), further limiting options in defensive areas for the top-flight strugglers.
With just Friday night’s clash with Grazer remaining of the term, the likes of Florian Rieder (knee), Lennart Czyborra (back) and Osarenren Okungbowa (muscle) will be targeting pre-season returns.
A promising star at the beginning of the term, Austria Vienna loanee Romeo Vucic has been unavailable for Grazer since February due to a thigh problem.
After keeping a rare clean sheet last time out, Die Roten should stick with a centre-back trio of Antonio Tikvic, Martin Kreuzriegler and Lukas Graf.
WSG Swarovski Tirol possible starting lineup:
Stejskal; Jaunegg, David, Gugganig; Butler, Muller, Taferner, Ustundag; Blume, Skrbo, Hinterseer
Grazer AK possible starting lineup:
Wiegele; Graf, Kreuzriegler, Tikvic; Friser, Schriebl, Fofana, Italiano; Lichtenberger, Jano, Cipot
We say: WSG Swarovski Tirol 1-2 Grazer AK
Level on points with one match left of the Relegation Group, WSG Tirol and Grazer are likely to be involved in a tightly-fought affair on Friday night.
Die Roten are enjoying a four-game unbeaten streak in the top flight and they should be confident of extending that spell to five to conclude a campaign of stabilisation.
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