“It’s all about everything. It’s the first final – and we’re excited about it.” LASK’s defense chief Philipp Ziereis is at operating temperature ahead of the play-off first leg against FCSB Bucharest (7 p.m., ORF 1). The Romanian football champions are the hurdle that LASK must overcome for eight more Europa League games. Although the athletes have home advantage in the first duel, FCSB boss George “Gigi” Becali believes in the help of the twelfth man. “God is on our side,” claimed the businessman and ex-politician.
Becali is not only known for always having a rosary within reach and for cracking martial sayings. “If you grow up in Vienna like I did, you have friends from Romania who tell you stories,” said LASK coach Thomas Darazs. Among other things, the 66-year-old was convicted of false imprisonment and served a prison sentence for it. Becali does not hold an official position in the club, but as the owner of the FCSB stock corporation, he is also the loudspeaker and all-decision maker.
“We are not afraid,” said Darazs, countering Becali’s twelfth-man theory with equal ambiguity. “Everyone can believe what they want.” Darazs believes in his team: “I would be a bad coach for my team and I would not exude good confidence if I said that we are going into the match as complete underdogs.” The plan for the Europa League: perform well, avoid mistakes, “then we will at least be on the same level.”
The fact that the team would still play in the Conference League in Europe if they were eliminated is by no means a comfort cushion. The Europa League not only means more income and therefore more bonuses for the players, but also a better chance of facing attractive opponents, simply because there are two more games in the league phase. Ziereis: “We saw last year what that can do, what great games we can experience – that’s why we want that again.”
Instinct and discipline
There was already a game against FCSB this year: In Belek, LASK lost the test 1:3. Darazs described the opponent as good at set pieces and robust. He recognized “great individual quality in various positions, I would even say instinctive footballers.” What Darazs did not say: Tactical discipline is not always in play at FCSB.
The Romanians arrived on a Tiriac Air plane, the airline founded by former Boris Becker manager Ion Tiriac. They were accompanied by Romania’s team striker Florin Tanase, whom club boss Becali brought back to FCSB from Al-Okhdood two weeks ago. Captain Darius Olaru, however, will leave the club after the play-off. “I think we’ll part ways after the games against Linz,” said Becali. In addition to a club from Russia, Eindhoven is also said to be vying for the 26-year-old. Becali is demanding six million euros.