Following a summer focused entirely on the World Cup in Russia, it’s time to turn our attention to the return of the Ö. Bundesliga season as Red Bull Salzburg begin the defence of their fifth successive title with a tie versus Europa League hopefuls LASK at the Red Bull Arena.
A fixture at the home of Austria’s perennial champions could not have come at a worse time for this weekend’s guests, as it’s sandwiched between their first European matches since 2000. However, following a 3-0 win over Hertha Wels in the ÖFB-Cup last weekend and a 4-0 thumping of Lillestrøm on Thursday, their morale coming into the game is at a high.
Red Bull Salzburg also come into the new season in good form. Disposing of Oedt in comfortable fashion in the cup, they came up against Çaykur Rizespor during the week in their final preparation game and put the cherry on top of an impressive pre-season showing with a 5-2 win. Unfortunately, Fredrik Gulbrandsen was substituted following a nasty collision, and as a result, he will be sidelined for the foreseeable future.
The bragging rights were evenly shared last season with one win apiece and two draws, but Marco Rose and his squad will be out for blood on Sunday after LASK put die Roten Bullen’s 22-game unbeaten streak in the league last season to an end with a 1-0 win at the TGW Arena on Matchday 28.
There will be an emotional farewell in Wals-Siezenheim as the fans bid adieu to two influential figures in last season’s historic Europa League campaign in Valon Berisha and Ćaleta-Car, who have made moves to pastures new in the summer, putting pen to paper on contracts with Lazio and Olympique Marseille.
Match Information
Date: Sunday, July 29, 2018
Kick-off: 17:00 (CEST)
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Referee: Harald Lechner
Broadcasting: Sky Sports 8 (Austria)
Previous Meetings
19.01.17: Red Bull Salzburg 3-1 LASK
29.07.17: Red Bull Salzburg 1-1 LASK
14.10.17: LASK 1-3 Red Bull Salzburg
16.12.17: Red Bull Salzburg 0-0 LASK
08.04.18: LASK 1-0 Red Bull Salzburg
Current Form
Red Bull Salzburg
Jablonec 5-0 (H) | Utrecht 1-0 (H) | Stade Rennes 3-0 (H) | Oedt 0-6 (A) | Çaykur Rizespor 5-2 (H)
LASK
Apollon Limassol 2-1 (H) | Red Star Belgrade 3-1 (A) | Heidenheim 0-4 (H) | Hertha Wels 0-3 (A) | Lillestrøm 4-0 (H)
Team News
Red Bull Salzburg
Injured: Patrick Farkas (cruciate ligament rupture) | Fredrik Gulbrandson (hamstring)
Suspended: Hannes Wolf
LASK
Injured: Doğan Erdoğan (osteitis pubis)| Phillip Weisinger (torn ankle ligament) | David Bumberger (ruptured ankle ligament)
Predicted Line-ups
Red Bull Salzburg
Stanković
Lainer – Ramalho – Onguéné – Ulmer
Haidara – Samassékou – Junuzović
Schlager
Prevljak – Dabbur
LASK
Schlager
Ramsebner – Wostry – Pogatetz
Ranftl – Holland – Michorl – Ullmann
Goiginger – Tetteh – Jamnig
Score Prediction
Red Bull Salzburg 2-0 LASK
