LASK v Altach

Rounds 27 and 28 of the Austrian Bundesliga season – the halfway point of both the Championship and Qualification Groups – traditionally see teams go head-to-head home and away on consecutive weekends. Having played out a goalless draw at home in Vorarlberg last weekend, Altach will now travel to Pasching to take on LASK in the return fixture this Saturday. They are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak since the division split in half, while their hosts have zero wins and only one goal from their last four outings.

The head-to-head record paints a different picture, however. Although Altach won on their last visit to Austria’s third-largest city – a 1-0 victory in October this season – they generally have a pitiful record against LASK and have only come out on top in two of their last 21 meetings with the Black & Whites. And they will be without two key players, with both defensive midfielder Bakary Nimaga and centre-back Felix Strauss suspended. For their part, LASK have a raft of new injuries with up to six players – including several key defenders and forwards Marko Raguz and Alexander Schmidt – doubtful for this game.  

We predicted a low-scoring encounter in the reverse fixture a week ago and that proved to be the case. And when you consider their respective goal records, it is not surprising: Altach have scored around half as many goals (17) as the league’s second-worst attack (Hartberg, 30), while LASK struggle with chance conversion: they are ranked third in the Bundesliga in terms of big chances created (49) but eighth in goals scored per match (1.3). That makes us tempted to go for the same again: under 2.5 goals is our recommendation.

---

Admira v Hartberg

Although Hartberg did finally end their dismal run of more than 700 Bundesliga minutes without a goal when the two teams met last weekend, it was Admira who came out on top in that game and held on for a 2-1 win. Much to the surprise of journalists and fans alike, the Lower Austrians have come out of nowhere to lead the Qualification Group at the halfway point. But the bottom six is very tightly packed and things could change quickly: their Styrian opponents, who languish in last place, are only five points behind them.

Admira coach Andreas Herzog, an Austrian legend who is currently being linked with the national team’s vacant managerial position, has a full complement of players to choose from. The same cannot be said of Hartberg, whose veteran centre-back Mario Sonnleitner and attacker Donis Avdijaj are doubts, but they will undoubtedly be boosted by the return of defensive midfield lynchpin Matija Horvat from suspension.

Hartberg have actually taken the three points on four of their six previous visits to the BSFZ-Arena and have scored in 12 consecutive games against Admira. But we think the Mödling-based outfit will prevail once again: they are the in-form team, having taken nine points out of the last 15 up for grabs, and are on their longest undefeated streak in the league since October 2017 (five matches). If they do take the three points, it will be the first time they have ever beaten Hartberg twice in a row.

---

WSG Tirol v Ried

WSG Tirol’s last-minute victory against a Ried side who had only previously lost once on home turf this season came at a cost for defeated coach Robert Ibertsberger. The 45-year-old was sacked and replaced by Christian Heinle, who has already been in interim charge this season. That means the club from the Innviertel have changed coaches three times this term. By contrast, the Tyroleans have had their boss, Thomas Silberberger, in place since 2013 – making him the longest-serving coach of any current Bundesliga club by some way.  

The big team news for the home side is that top scorer Giacomo Vrioni, whose brace in the dying embers of the reverse fixture last Saturday clinched the come-from-behind win for his side, picked up a yellow card in that game and will miss the return match-up. Opponents Ried will have their key midfielder Stefan Nutz, who has eight goals and 17 assists in all competitions this season, back after serving a one-game ban – although the loss of right-back and penalty taker Julian Wießmeier is definitely a blow.  

This game is arguably the closest to call across the entire Bundesliga this weekend: will WSG Tirol repeat their heroics from the last round, or will Ried benefit from the new manager bounce and exact revenge? It’s simply impossible to predict for us and so our recommendation is to bet on more than 2.5 goals being scored. After all, this is a meeting of the two worst defences in the division: WSG Tirol (53) and Ried (48) have conceded a whopping 101 goals between them.

---

Austria Klagenfurt v Wolfsberg

Last weekend’s edition of this all-Carinthian clash was the first time that Austria Klagenfurt have beaten their regional rivals Wolfsberg in a competitive match. But while this may seem like a dismal record, it is worth mentioning that this was only the fourth time that the two teams have faced each other in the Bundesliga or ÖFB Cup, having spent most of their respective histories in different divisions. 

Not only are they now both at Austria’s top table (the first time there have been two clubs from the state of Carinthia in the division since the mid-1980s), they are also both in the top half and competing for a European spot. Austria Klagenfurt sit in fifth place on 19 points, while Wolfsberg, who have now lost five matches on the bounce for the first time since early 2018, are a point behind in sixth.

The home side are without three players due to suspension, including Bayern Munich loanee Alex Timossi Andersson, who opened the scoring with a lovely finish and then set up the winner with a pinpoint cross in the aforementioned meeting last weekend. Wolfsberg do not have any suspensions to contend with and will be able to call upon the forward duo of Tai Baribo, who was only fit enough to start the last match on the bench, and Thorsten Röcher, who has overcome an injury.

Predicting a winner on derby day can often be futile, so we’re more inclined to suggest backing more than 2.5 goals being scored. That feat was achieved in the opening 17 minutes last weekend and although there were no further goals for the remainder of the match, neither of these sides seem particularly solid defensively: in fact, they have let in 26 goals between them in the opening five rounds of the Championship Group.

---

Red Bull Salzburg v Austria Vienna

They might have missed out on the title last weekend, but Salzburg’s fate will be in their own hands this weekend as they look to claim a ninth consecutive Bundesliga crown at home to Austria Vienna. Thanks to their superior head-to-head record against second-placed Sturm Graz, the Red Bulls will be guaranteed to clinch the title if they take all three points against the Violets and could already be holding the shield aloft by the time their closest challengers kick off the late game against Rapid Vienna.

Standing in their way will be an Austria Vienna team that gave an excellent account of themselves and might have come away with a point when the two teams met last time out had it not been for some suspect refereeing and a stoppage-time equaliser being disallowed. It was an especially impressive performance given that it came days after the news broke that the club had been refused a licence for the coming season, plunging the immediate future of the players and staff into doubt and uncertainty.

With no new injuries or suspensions in either camp, both coaches are likely to stick with the same line-ups that played last weekend. But Mathias Jaissle will certainly be the more confident manager heading into this Matchday 28 clash: his side are unbeaten in 11 games against the capital club and have scored at least twice in all but two of those matches. With that in mind, we think it’s worth backing them to do that once again and secure yet another Bundesliga title in the process.

---

Rapid Vienna v Sturm Graz

With Salzburg clearly the best team by almost every metric, the traditional giants of the Austrian game have been left competing for second place. But Sturm Graz have certainly looked to be the winners of that unofficial title this season: they are eight points clear of third-placed Rapid Vienna as it stands and recently beat the Green & Whites more comprehensively than the 2-1 scoreline from the weekend might suggest.

It is of course a big ask for them to complete a double over Rapid this weekend – the Viennese outfit boast a raucous matchday atmosphere and double the attendance figures of any other Bundesliga club since the pandemic-related restrictions were lifted – but they will certainly feel well placed to do so: while Christian Ilzer has no new personnel problems to contend with, Ferdinand Feldhofer still has at least 10 players out with injury or illness and two important centre-backs – Kevin Wimmer and Emanuel Aiwu – suspended. 

Add to that Sturm’s recent record against Rapid, against whom they are unbeaten in five matches, and there is a convincing set of arguments to back the Grazers in the capital. We would recommend putting your money on a draw no bet. Sturm will certainly miss out on the title but – avoid defeat in Vienna, as we expect them to do – and they will have second place more or less sewn up.

---

18+ please gamble responsibly.

---

Back the Four and Five Star Selections as an Accumulator on Betfair ⬇️

*Bet link only appears when accessing from mobile.

---

Haven’t got a Betfair account? You’re in luck…

Sign up to Betfair and get a full refund if your first bet loses. Grab an account through the offer below and place £20 on the 17/1 Austrian Bundesliga Best Bets Accumulator. Here are the two possible outcomes: