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SK Rapid Wien knows their luck for the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League group stage!
With Arsenal FC, Hütteldorfer has drawn a great rival. Molde FK from Norway and Dundalk from Ireland complete the group that is finally feasible (the best two move up).
“You definitely can’t complain about everything. I think we can be satisfied and so are we,” Rapid coach Dietmar Kühbauer said in a first statement to “PULS24”, but quite relieved by the draw.
“I think the group is a good group for us, although Arsenal are of course the absolute favorite to win the group. Then we will see that we fight for second place with Molde and Dundalk,” Kühbauer tries a small pecking order in the Group.
Kühbauer longs for Arsenal’s home game
Kühbauer, however, shows a bit of sadness regarding the home game against Arsenal, which, according to UEFA regulations, could only be seen by 30 per cent of the spectators at best. normally they are allowed to enter the stadium, but only if the national authorities approve it is converted.
“If you could have a full stadium it would be an amazing story of course. Everyone wants this game and I think my players want it too. But of course it is an overwhelming opponent, but you have to play the game first,” says Kühbauer .
At eighth place, Arsenal have had a messy season in the Premier League, but thanks to their FA Cup triumph they still secured the international ticket. This season the “Gunners” are fifth after three games.
“When I think of the Emirates Stadium, playing there opens my heart,” said Kühbauer full of anticipation. Austrian clubs have competed four times in the European Cup against the 13-time English champions, with two wins and two losses.
“We want to sell ourselves as expensively as possible”
“The other two rivals are within reach. We will do our best to get ahead of them,” said the Rapid coach, formulating a clear goal for the group stage.
With Molde it is also against the four-time reigning Norwegian champions. Only one place was lost in the group stage of the Champions League due to the away goals rule in the duel with Ferencvaros Budapest. “I watched the game, they don’t have a bad team,” Kühbauer warns of Molde, former Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
The great unknown is Dundalk, the 14-time Irish champion. “It’s a team that I don’t really have on my radar,” says sports director Zoran Barisic.
After the tie against Celje in the CL classification, the hurdles Inter Club d’Escaldes, Sheriff Tiraspol and Klaksvik were overcome with difficulty in the Europa League classification. “It is an interesting and certainly not easy group in which we are not the favorites. We are looking forward to the games and we want to sell ourselves as high as possible,” Barisic said.
The first day of the group stage will take place on October 22. UEFA wants to publish the exact schedule on Friday.
Game Dates: October 22, October 29, November 5, November 26, December 3, December 10
Quick hopes for more spectators in Vienna
Rapid will compete in a new green and white dress based on Mitropacup’s victory in 1930. It is still open if Rapid will play the games with the current team. The closer to the end of the transfer period on October 5, the more rumors about one or another outing in the Vienna countryside.
“There has always been interest, but never the offer where we say we have to,” says Barisic. That could still change. “The closer to the end, the more aggressive player coaches become,” the 50-year-old is aware. Something can happen, but it doesn’t necessarily have to happen anymore.
On the other hand, there was positive news from UEFA on Thursday, especially as spectators are once again allowed in the group stage. What is less pleasant for the Hütteldorfer is that the regulation of up to 30 per cent of stadium capacity approved by UEFA is not allowed in Austria due to the official restriction of a maximum of 3,000 fans.
“We are in an exchange with politicians and we are convinced that, as UEFA or Germany are doing, it makes much more sense to focus on capacity as a percentage. It is not convenient that we skip the line with the 3,000”, says Economico The managing director Christoph Peschek his point of view.
More than half of Rapid’s budget is related to the day. “The economic damage is enormous and under current regulation it is definitely in the double-digit million range,” Peschek said.
Text as: © LAOLA1.at/APA
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