New year of football to start with bang

In partnership with

FC Red Bull Salzburg

·1 February 2024

New year of football to start with bang

Big cup tie in Linz

Our first competitive match of 2024 is all set to be a cracker! The UNIQA ÖFB Cup quarter-finals see us go away this Friday 2 February at 18:00 CET to face LASK. The motto - win or else!

Both sides have required penalty shoot-out victories to reach this stage of the current cup competition. Hartberg pushed us all the way in the last 16 until we won from the spot, while LASK needed penalties to see off second-tier KSV 1919.

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We know full well from our ADMIRAL Bundesliga experience just how tough it is to face LASK. Only one of our league defeats this season came against the side from Austria's steel city - a 0-1 loss at home in October.

Belek rather than Marbella and two new signings

While we prepared for the rest of the season in Marbella over the winter break, the side coached by Thomas Sageder held a training camp in Belek, Turkey. The Linz side played a total of five friendly matches, three of which they won (3-0 vs. Lech Poznan, 2-0 vs. FK Zeleziarne and 2-1 vs. Hansa Rostock).

Two new signings have joined LASK this winter, one of whom is a very familiar name: Valon Berisha.

The midfielder made 231 competitive appearances for our Red Bulls in the past and was a free agent until Linz came calling for the 30-year-old. They have also signed an exciting attacking youngster from Bayern in 20-year-old Lucas Copado.

On the subject of new signings: Yesterday we greeted Flavius Daniliuc as a new member of our team! All the info can be found HERE.

Credit where it is due - LASK are planning a notable world record attempt before kick-off. Around 20 minutes before the match starts, the world's biggest ever resuscitation training is due to be held at the Raiffeisen Arena – an early arrival should therefore be well worth it, whichever team your heart beats for.

Info on those travelling to support us can be found below:

to the away info

Those not able to make it to Linz on Friday have plenty of other options to follow the match. ORF 1 is broadcasting live, while we will also provide live text commentary on our English website.

Injury news

Not available for the match are Sekou Koita, Karim Konate, Dorgeles Nene (all at the AFCON), Samson Baidoo (ankle), Nicolas Capaldo (knee) and Aleksa Terzic (thigh).

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We have used the past few weeks to take the next steps in our key principles. We are going well prepared into the match, and we are really looking forward to it. We know that LASK have developed in recent months and are one of the best teams in Austria. We know that we need to do everything technically, tactically and with the right attitude to make the semi-finals.

Gerhard Struber

I am looking forward to the game as it is something special for me to play at LASK. I had six fantastic years there. Losing 0-1 in the league in the autumn wasn't nice, of course, and we want to improve and give everything we can to seal our spot in the semi-final before we head back to Salzburg.

Alexander Schlager

Further UNIQA ÖFB Cup dates

The draw for the semi-final will be made on Sunday 11 February as part of the Sport am Sonntag programme (from 18:00 CET) on ORF 1.
Semi-finals: 2-4 April 2024
Final: 1 May 2024 (Klagenfurt)