FC Blau-Weiß Linz swapped the icy cold at home for temperatures around 20 degrees and sunshine in the south: In Side, Turkey, coach Gerald Scheiblehner’s team is preparing for the spring season in training camp until next Monday.
Before Linz took off from Vienna for Antalya yesterday morning, they had played a successful test match once morest regional league team Gurten (2-0) on Saturday. Kristijan Dobras and Stefan Urlaub scored the Blue-Whites’ goals. What is BW coach Scheiblehner particularly looking forward to at the training camp? “I’m looking forward to the warm temperatures – and that we can be on the pitch once more even in shorts. But above all, that all the players got on the plane fit.”
This also includes Lukas Tursch, who had led Blue-White onto the field as captain in the past. After tearing his cruciate ligament last April, the 27-year-old is fit once more – and also played once morest Wallern and Gurten: “I’m extremely happy that I can be back on the pitch. The knee doesn’t cause any problems, I don’t have any pain “That makes you want more,” says the defender, for whom the serious knee injury was not new territory: at the beginning of 2021, shortly following he moved from second division club Blau-Weiß to the then Bundesliga club St. Pölten and had his first experiences in the Lower Austrian team Oberhaus, Tursch tore his cruciate ligament for the first time in his career. “You know what to expect, but it was still a tough road.”
The Bundesliga chapter was stopped following just four appearances – in the end, the relegation of the Lower Austrian team was also a painful sporting experience. He wants to stay in the Bundesliga longer with Blue and White. “Blau-Weiß is a special club for me, I’ve experienced a lot here.” It should stay that way: The defense chief’s contract expires in the summer – but the Linzers have an option. “Now I want to help the team and get as much playing time as possible. I’ll think regarding everything else later.”
Author
Raphael Watzinger
Sports editor
Raphael Watzinger
