Bundesliga Match Day 26 Previews

CASHPOINT SCR Altach (4) vs. FC Flyeralarm Admira (6)

Last Bundesliga meeting: ADM 3-1 ALT

Fourth-placed Altach have lost only one of their last five Bundesliga matches and have kept back-to-back clean sheets for the first time all season, while bottom club Admira have just one win from their last five league outings and have mustered only two goals during that time. The Lower Austrians have the superior recent head-to-head record, however, losing only one of their last nine league clashes with the Vorarlbergers (W4 D4). Their meetings this season have been spicy affairs, with four red cards in total. Schreiner and Thurnwald are injury doubts for Altach; Hoffer and Sax are available again for Admira, but Malicsek is suspended.

TSV Prolactal Hartberg (1) vs. spusu SKN St. Pölten (5)

Last Bundesliga meeting: HTB 3-3 SKN

Hartberg have two victories on the bounce and have kept consecutive shutouts for only the second time this term. St. Pölten, by contrast, have only one point from their last seven matches - which came in their 3-3 draw with Markus Schopp’s men in late March. The recent head-to-record is a good omen for the Styrian side, who are now unbeaten in their last five Bundesliga meetings with the Lower Austrians (W2 D3). However, St. Pölten will be encouraged by the fact they have scored in six consecutive games against Hartberg - their joint-longest ongoing scoring run against a single Bundesliga club (along with Ried). Lema and Schmerböck are still out for Hartberg, as is Muhamedbegovic for St. Pölten.    

FK Austria Vienna (2) vs. SV Guntamatic Ried (3)

Last Bundesliga meeting: SVR 0-1 FAK

Second-placed Austria Vienna are among the most inconsistent sides in the league, having won three, drawn one and lost three of their last seven Bundesliga matches, but they came from behind to beat lowly St. Pölten last time out. One place and three points behind them are in-form Ried, who have two wins and a draw to their name since Heraf was appointed as the new head coach ahead of the Qualification Group. That said, Ried have lost every single one of their last five Bundesliga matches against the Viennese. In fact, the Upper Austrians haven’t beaten the capital club in eight matches - since a 4-2 home win in November 2015. Pichler will be available again for the Violets after serving his suspension at the weekend.

WSG Swarovski Tirol (6) vs. FC Red Bull Salzburg (1)

Last Bundesliga meeting: WSG 2-4 RBS

This meeting of bottom versus top pits a WSG side that was soundly beaten by Wolfsberg last time out against an imperious Salzburg team that is rapidly closing in on the title. The head-to-head record suggests the Red Bulls will be three points closer to the finish line by Thursday: they have won all four of their previous league meetings with WSG and have scored at least four goals in each game (4.8 on average). But Silberberger’s charges can take heart from the fact they have scored the third-most goals (23) in the division in 2021 - behind Salzburg (36) and Rapid Vienna (25). WSG will have Petsos back in midfield after he made his return from injury against Wolfsberg; Vallci, Walke and Sucic remain unavailable for Salzburg.

SK Puntigamer Sturm Graz (4) vs. Wolfsberger AC (5)

Last Bundesliga meeting: STU 1-2 WAC

Following their goalless stalemate against Rapid Vienna at the weekend, fourth-placed Sturm now have one win, one draw and one defeat in the Championship Group. One place and four points below them are Wolfsberg, who picked up their first victory since the split by beating WSG Tirol last time out. Sturm have beaten Wolfsberg more times in the Bundesliga (15) than every other club bar Salzburg (18), but the Carinthians are unbeaten in five league games against the Styrians (W4 D1) and have won six of the last eight meetings. Sturm are without the suspended Yeboah, while Sprangler and Peric are still out of action for WAC.

LASK (3) vs. SK Rapid Vienna (2)

Last Bundesliga meeting: LASK 1-2 SCR

LASK will feel hard done by to have lost in Salzburg on Sunday, having held their own for almost the entire game before ultimately conceding two very late goals. They have a woeful recent record against Rapid - who themselves were held to a 0-0 draw by Sturm Graz - having lost each of their last five meetings with the Green & Whites. It seems as though there will be goals this time around though, as these teams have not played out a goalless stalemate in Linz since the turn of the century. Fountas will be one to keep an eye on for Thalhammer’s men: the Greek forward has scored in four consecutive appearances against LASK. Both clubs have a player suspended after accumulating five bookings: Renner for LASK and Greiml for Rapid.