Bundesliga Match Day 28 Previews

FK Austria Vienna (1) vs. FC Flyeralarm Admira (5)

Last Bundesliga meeting: ADM 0-2 FAK 

Austria Vienna, who occupy top spot in the Qualification Group for the first time since Match Day 23, have more points since the league split (10) than any other club in the bottom half of the table except for Ried (11). The capital club are now on a 10-game unbeaten streak against Admira Wacker (W6 D4) - their longest such run since the Lower Austrians were promoted back to the Bundesliga in the summer of 2011. However, fifth-placed Admira have won two away matches in a row without conceding a goal for the first time since November 2016. If Hoffer plays, it will be his 150th Bundesliga appearance (64 for Admira, 85 for Rapid).   

TSV Prolactal Hartberg (2) vs. SCR CASHPOINT Altach (4)

Last Bundesliga meeting: ALT 2-2 HTB

The two points Hartberg dropped in the reverse fixture at the weekend saw them drop down to second spot in the Qualification Group, but the Styrians will be confident ahead of their midweek rematch: they are on a club-record six-match unbeaten home run in the Bundesliga (W3 D3) and have not lost to Altach in five top-flight games (W2 D3). However, the visitors from Vorarlberg have taken points in six of their nine games under coach Canadi - as often as they did in their first 18 games of the campaign under his predecessor Pastoor. Hartberg will be without midfielder Nimaga, who picked up his fifth caution at the weekend.

spusu SKN St. Pölten (6) vs. SV Guntamatic Ried (3) 

Last Bundesliga meeting: SVR 2-1 SKN

Out-of-form St. Pölten are currently on a nine-match winless run in the Bundesliga (D2 L7). During that time, they have kept only one clean sheet and have scored more than one goal on only one occasion. They have, however, netted in all of their seven previous top-tier matches against Ried, who remain the only unbeaten side since the start of the Qualification Group. The Upper Austrians are currently on their longest league unbeaten run this term (W3 D2) and will equal the club record for most Bundesliga games unbeaten (6 in the autumn of 2013) if they avoid defeat at the NV Arena. Pokorny and Schulz are both suspended for the hosts.

Red Bull Salzburg (1) vs. RZ Pellets Wolfsberger AC (5) 

Last Bundesliga meeting: WAC 1-2 RBS

Table-toppers Red Bull Salzburg, who are chasing an eighth consecutive title, have won 21 of their first 27 league games this season - only Austria Vienna (22 in 1984/85 and 1985/86) have won more in that time frame since the inception of the Bundesliga in 1974/75. Salzburg have scored more Bundesliga goals against Wolfsberg than any other club has (75). But WAC won 3-2 away to the Red Bulls earlier this term and could become the only club to win both away games in Salzburg in a single season since 2005/06. Salzburg will be unable to call on midfielder Antoine Bernède, who was red-carded at the weekend.

WSG Swarovski Tirol (6) vs. SK Rapid Vienna (2)

Last Bundesliga meeting: SCR 4-0 WSG

Rapid Vienna have lost only two of their 15 Bundesliga matches since the start of 2021 (both against Salzburg) and have scored 13 goals in the Championship Group - more than any other club. Though they were comprehensively beaten in the capital at the weekend, WSG Tirol can take heart from the fact that they have won both of their home games since the split and are now unbeaten in four league games on home turf for the first time since they were promoted to the top tier the summer before last (W2 D2). Defender Behounek will miss out for the Tyroleans after receiving his fifth booking of the campaign in Hütteldorf. 

LASK (4) vs. SK Sturm Graz (3)

Last Bundesliga meeting: STU 3-1 LASK

Fourth-placed LASK have won both of their last two home games against Sturm and are now targeting three consecutive home league victories over the Styrians - a feat which they have not managed since the mid-1990s. Sturm jumped above LASK in the table with their 3-1 victory at the Merkur Arena at the weekend - a game in which they converted two penalties for the first time since a 5-0 home victory over the same opponents on 4 December 2010. Sturm already have seven points on the board in the Championship Group - more than double what they managed in the entirety of last season’s run-in (3). Jantscher has been directly involved in five of Sturm’s seven goals in the Championship round this term (3 goals, 2 assists).