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Rapid will face Belgian runner-up KAA Gent in the third qualifying round for the Champions League. That was the result of Monday’s draw in Nyon. The date of the game is September 15 or 16, the winner is in the play-off. For the loser, the ticket to the group stage of the Europa League remains a consolation. For Rapid it would be their third Champions League appearance, until now they had been in the premier class in 1996 and 2005. In the second qualifying round, they beat Lok Zagreb 1-0 away last Wednesday, which means that Hütteldorfer you can count on at least around three million euros to enter the Europa League. A victory over Gent would even cost about five million euros, which is what Uefa paid last year to the 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. Rapids Sport CEO Zoran Barisic was not unhappy with the lot, especially since with Benfica Lisbon and Dynamo Kiev they would have expected more difficult tasks.
Hartberg debuts in Poland
“Benfica would have been the rival that I would not have liked,” Barisic admitted to Radio Wien. “With the necessary commitment and courage, something is possible. We will definitely not go there on a sightseeing tour.” Barisic also said: “We want to pass, but we are definitely not the favorites. Our guys can play freely and show what they can. Hopefully 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,” said the Viennese. His club found out on Tuesday who would be possible play-off rivals in the event of promotion.
The draw for the second qualifying round for the Europa League in Nyon on Monday in Nyon revealed which team TSV Hartberg will face in their European Cup debut: the Styrians will face the third Piast Gliwice of the Polish championship on 17 September . In Hartberg everyone is happy about the batch: “An exciting batch” was the first reaction of the president of Hartberg, Brigitte Annerl, in a broadcast of the club. Due to the Corona crisis, the decision on promotion will be made in one match, which means extra time and penalty shoot-out is possible. Piast Gliwice knocked out Dinamo Minsk in the first round with a 2-0 away win. Hartberg’s opponent’s biggest success so far was the Polish championship title in 2019. In the European Cup, Gliwice has always been in the second qualifying round.
“We are looking forward to the European adventure that starts in Poland. We are definitely not the favorites and we can get into one of the playoffs without any pressure. In the championship group, we have always performed in top form away from home. That too We want it “To match the Europa League standings and present ourselves from our best side,” stressed Annerl. Hartberg President and Sporting Director Erich Korherr was “satisfied with the lot. It is not too long a journey, and since spectators are not allowed, we do not have to regret a home game. We are looking forward to the opening game of the European Cup and we will prepare well and in Take everything out of these 90 minutes, then everything is possible. “
Great victories in the ÖFB Cup
Hartberg and Rapid fired in the first round of the ÖFB Cup at the weekend in goal spirit. If the Styrians failed at the start of Vienna Viktoria in 2019, this time they did not miss the third division Dornbirner SV and won 7-0. Rapid also achieved a landslide victory, winning 5-0 at the Allianz Stadium against Salzburg regional league team St. Johann im Pongau, even without support from the west stand.(rel)
