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Rapids Sporting Director Zoran Barisic is not satisfied with the outcome of today’s draw for the Champions League third qualifier. Hütteldorfer will meet KAA Gent on 15 or 16 September.
“Benfica would have been the rival that I would not have liked,” Barisic confessed to “Radio Wien”. “With the necessary commitment and courage, something is possible. We will definitely not go there on a sightseeing tour.”
“We want to progress, but we are definitely not the favorites. Our guys can play freely and show what they can. With a little luck, it can be done.”
According to Barisic, some information has already been collected on Ghent, once a Belgian champion (2015) and a three-time cup champion (1964, 1984, 2010).
“We watched the game against Mechelen and we will be well prepared,” promised the Viennese. His club will officially know on Tuesday who would be the possible play-off rivals in case of promotion. In fact, the possible opponents have already been determined:
Since the Ukrainian and Russian teams cannot meet, Hütteldorfer can only get the winner of the Dynamo Kiev duel against AZ Alkmaar in Tuesday’s draw.
In the second playoff match, the winner of the PAOK Saloniki match against Benfica Lisbon will face the third Russian FK Krasnodar.
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Millions of injection through higher ascent
For Rapid it would be their third appearance in the Champions League, so far they have been in the “premier class” in 1996 and 2005. In the second qualifying round, last Wednesday they beat Lok Zagreb 1-0 away from home, which it means that Hütteldorfer can count on at least around three million euros to enter the Europa League.
A win over Gent would even cost around € 5m, which was the amount UEFA paid last year to clubs that failed in the Champions League play-off. Promotion chances are not unrealistic for Rapid, after all, Gent started the new season with three losses before a 1-0 win at home against Mechelen on Sunday.
Due to the unsuccessful start, coach Jess Thorup lost his position at Gent on August 20 and was replaced by Romanian Laszlo Bölöni. Georgian forward Giorgi Kvilitaia is under contract with the Belgians, who was signed by Rapid two years ago for a rumored two million euros. The 26-year-old was on the bench in the first league game this season and then no longer appeared in the squad.
Anderson Niangbo, who arrived from Red Bull Salzburg in January, former Freiburg pro Tim Kleindienst and former DFB junior team player Niklas Dorsch are also involved in the 2016 Champions League knockout round. The MVP is Ukrainian forward Roman Yaremchuk, valued at 9.5 million euros.
Gent already had unpleasant experiences in the European Cup with an Austrian club. 2017 came against SCR Altach in the third qualifying round for the Europa League with a total score of 2: 4.
KAA GENT:
Characteristics:
Official name: Royal Athletics Association Ghent
Founded: October 31, 1900
Club colors: blue and white
Stadium: Ghelamco Arena (20,000 seats)
President: Ivan De Witte
Successes: Belgian champions 2014/15, 3 runners-up, 3 cups, 1 super cup 2015, 2015/16 Champions League round of 16, 1991/92 UEFA Cup quarter-finals
The particularities:
The “Buffalos” have established themselves as the best team in Belgium in recent years. Since the first and only championship in 2015, the Flemings have always hit European business. The club has an Indian head, which is unusual for European clubs, such as its coat of arms, which first adorned a fan’s flag in 1924. This and the battle cry “Buffalo! Buffalo!” Echoing from the stands of the Ghelamco Arena was inspired by a visit to the American circus Barnum & Bailey and the performance of Buffalo Bill. The exclamation became so popular in the city that a group of students even greeted the king with it in 1913.
Old acquaintance:
There is even a former Rapid forward on the Belgian team. Georgian Giorgi Kvilitaia moved from Vienna-Hütteldorf to Flanders for a whopping three million euros in July 2018. Former Hütteldorfer sporting director Fredy Bickel achieved a negotiating masterpiece at the time. The striker suffered a foot injury at the time. That prevented the Georgian international’s final advance, who was stopped by a foot injury after scoring two goals in his first two league appearances. Since his return, the 26-year-old has been a top-rotation player. In total, Kvilitaia scored seven goals in 46 matches, for comparison: Rapid scored 22 goals after 67 matches. Anderson Niangbo has also been under contract with the Belgian runner-up since January. The Ivorian played for FC Liefering for a year and a half before WAC bet on the 20-year-old for six months in the Bundesliga. Ghent then put four million euros on the negotiating table in Salzburg, the loan was terminated early and Niangbo joined the Belgians.
Stars die:
Gent lost its most important name during the transfer period. Jonathan David, who scored 37 goals in 83 games for the Belgians, left the club for 32 million euros for Lille. Otherwise, flamingos aren’t necessarily dotted with stars. With Tim Kleindienst and former Bayern youth Niklas Dorsch, the runner-up has signed two players from Kerschbaumer-Klub Heidenheim. There was also a change in the goalkeeper position: the Belgians compensated for the departure of regular goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski with the free loan of Sinan Bolat. The former Turkish team goalkeeper comes from league competitor Antwerp. Forward Roman Yaremchuk played twelve internationals for Ukraine and was a major factor in the successful qualification for the European Championship with his three goals, including a 2-1 victory over European champion Portugal.
The coach: Laszlo Bölöni
The 67-year-old Romanian has only been in office and dignity with the Belgians for just over a week, but is already under a lot of pressure. Predecessor Jess Thorup, who cared for the “Buffaloes” for almost two years, had to resign after two defeats earlier in the season. Bölöni’s tenure also started with a defeat, a 0: 1 against Bölöni’s last stop in Antwerp, which led Ghent to the bottom of the Jupiler League table. A victory on Sunday against Mechelen via a goal from former Wolfsberger Niangbo temporarily alleviates the dangerous situation.
Romanian is no stranger to Belgium. In 2008 Bölöni was able to reinforce the championship and the Super Cup with Standard Liège. In Portugal, the former professional was very successful with Sporting, winning the double with the capital’s team in 2002. It should be the last championship title for the Greens to this day. Early in his coaching career, the Romanian was hired by Nancy and after EURO 2000 he took over the Romanian team for a year. From 2003 to 2006, Bölöni looked after Stade Rennes and then AS Monaco for eleven games. Other stations in his life are Al-Jazeera, Lens, PAOK and Al-Ittihad.
Text as: © LAOLA1.at
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