Altach v LASK

Altach’s revival in the Qualification Group has been a sight to behold and it is now starting to look like they will extend their eight-year stay in the Austrian Bundesliga: having lost 10 games in a row before the league split in half, they are since undefeated and have taken eight points out of a possible 12. Opponents LASK have had a dreadful season by their standards and are in danger of missing out on the internal play-off spot that would keep their European hopes alive: their last three games have produced no wins and only two points.

The loss of defensive midfielder Sebastian Aigner to suspension will be a blow for the Vorarlbergers, who are also still without injured right-back Manuel Thurnwald. But on-loan forward Christoph Monschein will have a point to prove against his parent club and is eligible to play too. LASK are more or less at full-strength, with central defender Filip Twardzik the only absentee due to torn ankle ligaments.

The Vorarlbergers might be in the better form going into this clash, but prior to their 1-0 triumph the last time the two teams went head-to-head on Matchday 12, they were on a 13-match winless streak against the Linzers in the Bundesliga. Rather than picking a winner, we would recommend backing under 2.5 goals: Altach have the worst strikeforce in the division (17 goals scored), while LASK have only scored once across their last three games. Plus, there has been just a solitary goal in each of the last three meetings between the clubs.

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Hartberg v Admira

The question on every Austrian football fan’s lips right now is: will Hartberg ever score a goal again? The Styrian club have been in freefall since getting eliminated from the ÖFB-Cup and are fast approaching 700 minutes without a Bundesliga goal. That sharp descent to last place in the table has coincided with Admira’s best form of the season: the side based just south of Vienna, in Mödling, have gone four games in a row unbeaten for the first time this term – although they have drawn their last three matches.

To add to Hartberg’s woes, they are without regular defensive midfield Matija Horvat, who has made 22 Bundesliga appearances this term but now faces a one-match suspension. He will be joined in the stands by Kosovan attacking midfielder Donis Avdijaj, who has a hamstring problem. Admira also have a player suspended. Left-back Leonardo Lukacevic will undoubtedly be a loss, but coach Andreas Herzog otherwise has close to a full complement of players at his disposal.

Hartberg tend to love facing Admira and are currently on a club-record nine-game unbeaten streak against the Lower Austrians (W7 D2). But our instincts tell us to trust the form book for this meeting and that’s why we are backing Admira on a draw no bet. You need to score goals to win football matches – and, at the moment, that doesn’t look like happening for a Hartberg side that sit at the foot of the table for the first time this season.

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Ried v WSG Tirol

Ried seem to be transforming their frustrations at narrowly missing out on a place in the top six into positive energy: the men from the Innviertel currently top the Qualification Group with a one-point lead over Upper Austrian rivals LASK, whom they recently beat in the derby before drawing with Hartberg last time out. WSG Tirol, meanwhile, suffered a home thumping at the hands of struggling Altach and, with top scorer Giacomo Vrioni’s goals seemingly drying up, have found the net only once in their last four games.

The big team news for this game is that Ried’s attacking midfielder Stefan Nutz is suspended following a recent red card: the 30-year-old has been hands down the best player at the club this season, playing all 26 matches to date and notching eight goals and 17 assists in all competitions. WSG Tirol have only one long-term absentee: forward Tobias Anselm has a ruptured cruciate ligament and is not expected back this season.

Ried may have one eye on the upcoming ÖFB Cup final – in which they will take on perennial winners and runaway league leaders Red Bull Salzburg – though they will still be favourites for this game. Not only are they at home, where they have been very strong this season (W6 D6 L1), but they also have the far superior head-to-head record against WSG, with 12 wins, one draw and one defeat across their last 14 league clashes. Unless Giacomo Vrioni’s scoring form returns soon, it is hard to foresee anything other than a home win.

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Austria Vienna v RB Salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg will head to the capital knowing that a victory over Austria Vienna – combined with a home defeat for their closest challengers Sturm Graz against Rapid Vienna – would see them crowned champions for a ninth season in a row, with half of the Championship Round still to go. That would be scaling new heights even for them: the league has not been won with five games remaining since the new format was introduced ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

They have every reason to feel optimistic as well: the Red Bulls are unbeaten in 10 matches against the capital club and have lost only one of their last 25 Bundesliga meetings with the Violets – a 4-0 defeat in a dead rubber after they had already clinched the title at the end of 2017/18. Austria must win for different reasons: having seen their unbeaten start to 2022 finally come to an end in Graz last weekend, they will need points to ensure they keep up the pressure on their rivals in the race for European football.

With no new suspensions or injuries for either side – except for Salzburg’s back-up goalkeeper Nico Mantl, who has a back problem – this clash will come down to quality. And the Red Bulls, who have suffered only one single league defeat all season, have shown themselves to be head and shoulders above the rest. With that in mind, we think your safest Austrian Bundesliga bet this weekend is to back them to win this one. If they do, then the immediate fate of the Bundesliga shield will depend on what happens down in Graz.

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Sturm Graz v Rapid Vienna

This clash between second-placed Sturm Graz and third-placed Rapid Vienna has historically been a fiery one between two tradition-steeped clubs. But there will be added spice to part one of this double-header: the Grazers must win to prolong Salzburg’s wait for the title, while Rapid will need the victory to stop their opponents moving eight points clear and all-but securing themselves the UEFA Champions League qualifying spot that comes with second place in the Austrian Bundesliga.

With the two teams both in good form and having only lost to Salzburg this calendar year, the outcome of this match is likely to be determined by another factor: injury. While Sturm boss Christian Ilzer has a full squad to call upon, Rapid have one of the longest absentee lists in living memory. They have more than 10 players out – among them potentially defender Emanuel Aiwu and striker Ferdy Druijf, who are both recovering from coronavirus – although that didn’t stop their youngsters from beating Wolfsberg last weekend.

Sturm are likely to be a different kettle of fish entirely, however, and Rapid are winless in the last four meetings between the sides. That head-to-head record, combined with the Green & Whites’ depleted squad, leads us to conclude that Sturm are the heavy favourites. We recommend putting your money on them to take the three points and cement their hold on second spot.

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Wolfsberger v Austria Klagenfurt

Since the Championship Round kicked off a month ago, the gap has been widening between the top four and the two Carinthian teams going head-to-head in the top match slot this Sunday: Wolfsberg (5^th, 18 points) and Austria Klagenfurt (6^th, 16 points). Between them, they have picked up one point out of a possible 24 since the split – Austria Klagenfurt managed a 1-1 stalemate with Austria Vienna a fortnight ago – and this double-header will represent a much-needed opportunity for both sides to turn their fortunes around.

On the injury front, Wolfsberg top scorer Tai Baribo (nine goals) could miss out through injury, while fellow centre-forward Thorsten Röcher and central midfielder Eliel Peretz are both doubtful for this match having missed the past fortnight with illness and injury respectively. Red card kings Austria Klagenfurt will be without the suspended Turgay Gemicibasi, who was dismissed for the third time this season against Salzburg and now faces a two-game ban.

Based on the head-to-head record, you would have to peg WAC as the slight favourites: they have won both previous competitive home games against their regional rivals. But with both teams struggling in front of goal – neither side has found the net more than once in a league match since mid-February – we think the best option is to bet on under 2.5 goals being scored.

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