Rapid still winless: Crisis deepens after 1:1 against Blau-Weiß Linz

As high as the hopes were after the strong start to the season, the green-white situation is just as precarious before the winter break. Rapid, once the league leader, has now gone eight competitive matches without a win. Even against bottom team Blau-Weiß Linz, the Viennese team could not achieve success in the last Bundesliga match of the year, ending in a 1:1 draw. In addition to the sporting review of the autumn, the coaching question will also be addressed in the coming weeks.

"Complacency Inside": Struggling Rapid Slipped Out of Top 6

"It's just complacency inside," lamented interim coach Stefan Kulovits. Although Rapid was still at the top of the table after eight rounds, the Hütteldorfers will now spend the winter outside the top six. The reason for this is the ongoing misery since early November. For the first time since the 2016/17 season, the green-white supporters, who clearly expressed their displeasure in Linz after the final whistle, have gone eight competitive matches without celebrating a win.

Harmless Offense

During this period, the Rapid offense scored only five goals. "It's becoming tedious to talk about converting chances. We're trying everything, but the ball just doesn't want to go into the net," said Kulovits. Even prominent help - Guido Burgstaller conducted shooting practice with the attackers last week - has not yet brought any improvement.

The frustration was also great for Louis Schaub, who missed several key chances in Linz. "We disappointed again, just like in recent weeks. Once again, we had many opportunities to decide the game," stated the veteran. The winter break is coming at the right time, and on Thursday in the Conference League, a "positive conclusion" is hoped for.

Players Stand Behind Kulovits

He feels sorry for the current situation for the coaching team. "You can see that he (Stefan Kulovits, note) has moved a lot. We have recently appeared differently, much more active," explained Schaub. He could well imagine that Kulovits would remain head coach in the spring. The same opinion was shared by defense chief Nenad Cvetkovic: "I believe he is the right one. He is a true Rapidler, and he can convey that to the players."

Kulovits took over after the separation from Peter Stöger at the end of November and, after four games, has three defeats and one draw. He reacted calmly to the coaching question. "What could be? These are all pipe dreams. We still have a game on Thursday, after which we will sit down together. The team has shown a good performance in the last two games. You can see the progress, everything else is not in my hands," said the 42-year-old.

The view of sporting facts is currently sobering for all those who support Rapid: In the Bundesliga, Green-White is outside the top six for the first time, in the Conference League as the only one of 36 teams without points at the bottom of the table. The final European Cup duel at Zrinjski Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina is irrelevant in sporting terms, but they want to "say goodbye to the break with a positive result," said Kulovits.

Coaching Question Also in Linz

In Linz, the officials knew how to make more of the point. After seven defeats, the bottom of the table finally gained something tangible again. "I am satisfied with the performance of my team, with the way they fought. We can live well with the point," said interim coach Andreas Gahleitner. "The players are now going into the winter break with a good feeling." Blue-White is definitely ready to take on the relegation battle.

Who will be on the sidelines in the spring after the dismissal of Mitja Mörec announced at the end of November is still unclear. A decision on this is expected to be made next week, as Gahleitner explained. The new coach will certainly face a tough task, as Blue-White is four points behind GAK at the bottom of the table.

(APA/Red)

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