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The year 2020 ends for Wolfsberger AC as it did in the previous almost twelve months: turbulent, with some setbacks, but finally successful.
In the spectacular 3-2 win over series champions Red Bull Salzburg (match report >>>) the Lavanttaler were 2-0 up thanks to a double strike, almost quitting the game and eventually defeating the “Bulls” for the first time on his 17th attempt.
“Today we made history again for the club because we have never won there. That was the biggest motivation for the guys today. About this year of superlatives that was the point on the i today,” says Ferdinand Feldhofer, who leads the team. Wolfsberger. He took over at the turn of the year, taking her to third place in the Bundesliga and the knockout stages of the Europa League, but also struggled with a poor start to the season and an outbreak of crown in the squad.
Feldhofer: “I’ll take off my hat”
Despite a somewhat difficult start to the current season, the Wolfsbergers achieved all of their goals for the fall at the last minute as they slipped into the top six due to success in Salzburg and even have a complementary game against Sturm ahead. .
“If someone had told us that we would be in third place in the EL, dominating the group stage with ease, going back to the quarter-finals of the cup and hibernating in the top six. Not much more is possible, in my opinion. hats off to them Players and staff, “says Feldhofer, for whom the WAC is, after all, the first coaching station in pure professional football, having previously been involved with second-division club SV Lafnitz.
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Newcomers after starting difficulties key players
Not everything went according to plan for the former Rapid and Sturm defender in Lavanttaler’s band this season. Feldhofer suffered four defeats in the first five Bundesliga rounds with Carinthians, and the WAC coach was unable to integrate the many newcomers ideally into the Lavanttaler diamond. Even the 41-year-old Styrian himself was not spared from the criticism.
Feldhofer has now found his best team. Newcomers Dejan Joveljic, Dario Vizinger, Matthäus Taferner, Jonathan Scherzer, Luka Lochosvhili, Dominik Baumgartner, who joined on loan, and, with some reservations, Eliel Peretz are absolute key figures in the Carinthian game and have now found their placed in the starting lineup.
Kofler: “They have already been canceled”
“It was a difficult moment for us, when many had already discarded us, but we showed on the back that we have a lot of quality,” says Alexander Kofler of “Sky”, who, unlike the previous ones, has been half an eternity. Lavanttal is kicking and is currently in his eighth season at WAC. The 34-year-old goalkeeper is performing in the way of his life and, among other things, captured the victory over Salzburg with a great last-minute parade against Mergim Berisha.
The WAC is now entering winter break, which has been significantly shortened this year, with the addition against Sturm on January 17. Until then, Kofler doesn’t want to sit down, but he’s already keeping an eye on the tasks ahead. “Now we are back in the top six, we don’t want to miss that and we will attack in the spring, that’s clear,” says Carinthian.
Liendl: “At some point is always the first time”
Just a few years ago, the goal during winter break at WAC would have been to avoid relegation. Now the Lavanttaler have to prepare for a triple charge of the Europa League final, the ÖFB Cup quarter-finals and, if all goes well, the Bundesliga champions group. The victories against Salzburg should no longer be an exception in the future.
“Last year I would have adjusted it because it was the first time, but now we are used to the fact that we have this quality, but of course it is not every day we win in Salzburg and we are super happy,” he shows Kofler how much the demands for the WAC in the last two years.
Even for Michael Liendl, in whose long career it was at least the fifth victory against Salzburg in the 25th attempt, the historic success against the Croesus League was only a matter of time:
“At some point it is always the first time. Of course, we are very happy. It was the culminating glory of a really good six months. It was absolutely great what we have done over the last few weeks.”
Text as: © LAOLA1.at
Red Bull Salzburg: “Still the best team”
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