2023-08-19 05:00:00
“Green, white, blue – Rapid and SKV!” It’s a fan chant that was also chanted several times at the FC Blau-Weiss Linz championship celebrations. On Sunday, when the two clubs meet for the first time in the Bundesliga since the blue and white were founded, the friendship will be on hold for 90 minutes: the promoted team will be fighting for their first win of the season in the Hofmann Personal Stadium, which has been sold out since Friday. “We’re blatant outsiders, but we’ve gained some experience in the first three games. We now have to learn the lessons from this and become more consistent over the 90 minutes,” said Blue and White coach Gerald Scheiblehner.
The bond between the two fan camps, which was already lived in the 1980s at the time of FC Linz, goes back much longer. To this day there are contacts and regular match day visits among the fan scene. It’s by no means the only connection before tomorrow’s duel: it’s going to be particularly emotional for Blau-Weiss-Linz managing director Christoph Peschek. The 39-year-old held various positions from 2013 to 2022 (Note: Vice President, Managing Director) worked for the Hütteldorfers. “So far I only know games once morest Rapid from encounters with my then junior club Stadlau. And even then, green and white had an impact on me. It will be a special game.”
Before his official activities at Rapid, he was even a regular fan of the Viennese – Peschek has long since checked that the hard core of the fans played a large part in his departure a year ago: “Football thrives on emotions. I know what I left behind with my team at the time. I’m at peace with myself.”
The brother as a spy
With Matthias Seidl, another player went the opposite way: The player of the blue and white promotion season signed on at Rapid in the summer. He comes to Linz for the first time as an opponent. “I’m really looking forward to the game, following all, blue and white was my first professional stop.”
At the new club, he immediately demonstrated his performances, including the 5-0 win in the third round second leg of the Europa Conference League in Debrecen. His goals are high: “I want to develop further at Rapid and I have the dream of joining the national team.” That would not surprise his ex-coach Scheiblehner: “He also impressed us straight away. We know we probably won’t be able to control him for 90 minutes.”
If a team can succeed, then it can be his squad: “We know him very well. In addition, his brother Simon is a real spy in our squad.” The friendship between the Salzburg siblings will also rest for 90 minutes. After the final whistle, the jersey is swapped. “We agreed that because it will be the first duel in the Bundesliga. It will be a cool memory,” said Matthias Seidl. Who gets the winner’s jersey?
more on the subject
Before Rapid game: A statistic speaks for blue and white
Author
Raphael Watzinger
Sports Editor
Raphael Watzinger
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