Bundesliga opposition analysis after winter break

How our league rivals have spent the winter

This Friday at 20:30 CET, we finally kick off the 2026 Bundesliga spring season with our home encounter with FK Austria Vienna! Before we get started, let's take a look around the league and see what's been happening with the other 11 teams during the winter break. How did their pre-season training go, and what changes have been made to their respective squads so far? [note - the transfer window is still open until Friday]

LASK (2nd place | 29 points)

The wave of euphoria is continuing under Dietmar Kühbauer even after the winter break, as LASK advanced to the cup semi-finals with a 3-2 victory in the derby against FC Blau-Weiß Linz.

The Linz team were in Belek at the same time as us, which allowed representatives from both teams to observe each other's matches.

They have been active in the transfer market, bolstering their central defence with the signing of Xavier Mbuyamba (FC Volendam). In return, Lenny Pintor (Eyüpspor) and Kevin Lebersorger (Dynamo Dresden) have been loaned out.

We are to face them still in Matchday 20 of the regular season when we travel to the Raiffeisen Arena on Sunday 22 February at 17:00 CET.

SK Sturm (3rd place | 28 points)

The start of the year was eventful for SK Sturm – both positive and negative. First, Fabio Ingolitsch, formerly of SCR Altach and coach of Liefering, took over as head coach, bringing in defensive stalwart Paul Koller as a new signing. Jusuf Gazibegovic was also brought back on loan from Cologne, and Swiss midfielder Ryan Fosso was signed from the Eredivisie to bolster the defensive midfield. In return, Tochi Chukwuani left the Blackies for Rangers for several million euros, Tomi Horvat joined Bristol City, and Tim Oermann's loan from Bayer Leverkusen was prematurely terminated.

A training camp in Marbella was followed, like us, by two UEFA Europa League matches: a 0-3 defeat against Feyenoord and a 1-0 home win against SK Brann Bergen. The domestic competitive opener, the cup quarter-final, then proved to be a complete disaster. Ingolitsch's team lost 1-3 in extra time against his former team SCR Altach and will also have to do without their regular goalkeeper Khudyakov for several weeks due to injury.

TSV Hartberg (4th place | 26 points)

Dominik Prokop (who transferred to Zeljeznicar Sarajevo in Bosnia) and Patrik Mijic (on loan to AE Kifisia in Greece) left the club during the winter transfer window, but the team has strengthened its defence with two loan signings. Luca Pazourek arrived from Austria Vienna, and Konstantin Schopp from Mainz.

We will play one of our two remaining ADMIRAL Bundesliga home matches of the regular season against Hartberg, when they visit us on Sunday 1 March at 17:00 CET (tickets are available online in the Ticket Shop).

FK Austria Vienna (5th place | 26 points)

Austria Vienna have been largely inactive in the transfer market (at least so far). Luca Pazourek has been loaned to TSV Hartberg. The Helm-coached team, which held its training camp in Side (near Belek), have yet to play a competitive match before their game against us in Salzburg this week.

We're kicking off the Bundesliga spring season with a Friday evening match at 20:30 CET against Austria Vienna. Tickets are available online in our Ticket Shop.

SV Ried (6th place | 26 points)

On the pitch, things got off to a flying start after a training camp in Belek: with a resounding 3-0 victory in the cup quarter-final against Rapid Vienna! The Vikings have strengthened their midfield with the signings of Evan Aisowieren (FAC) and Jussef Nasrawe (on loan from FC Bayern). Departures include Mark Grosse (transfer to GAK) and Ekain Azkune (loan terminated), both of whom had only made sporadic appearances anyway

Rapid Vienna (7th place | 25 points)

The positive atmosphere gathered at the training camp in Benidorm under new coach Johannes Hoff Thorup was immediately dampened as Rapid Vienna suffered a 0-3 slip in the cup quarter-final against SV Ried.

There could still be some activity in the transfer market in the coming days. Noah Bischof has moved to FC Dordrecht in the Netherlands. No further signings have been announced yet, and the rumor mill is still churning with numerous names.

At least one more (away) Austrian Klassiker awaits us when we conclude the regular season at SK Rapid – on Sunday 8 March at 17:00 in Hütteldorf.

WAC (8th place | 24 points)

After a training camp in Jerez, Spain, Wolfsberg seem to have maintained their autumn form well even after their coaching change. Although they lost a key defensive pillar in Chibuike Nwaiwu (Trabzonspor), the Carinthian side still look extremely solid under Ismail Atalan. In our cup match last Sunday, the Wolves gave us a tough fight, which we ultimately won 1-0 (despite having most of the chances).

SCR Altach (9th place | 21 points)

Altach were the only team not to hold a training camp abroad, but plenty of activity took place in Vorarlberg itself. Coach Fabio Ingolitsch left the Rhine village club and moved to SK Sturm Graz – taking defender Paul Koller with him. Altach strengthened their attack though with Precious Benjamin, a loan player from Hoffenheim.

Their first competitive match was the cup quarter-final against none other than Sturm Graz, and Altach, under coach Ognjen Zaric, made quite a statement! Altach won 3-1 in extra-time and will therefore visit us in the semi-final at the beginning of March (more details to follow).

WSG Tirol (10th place | 21 points)

The Tyrolean team spent time in Malta for pre-season training, and after a difficult start, they finished strongly with a 6-0 friendly win against Austria Lustenau. Things have remained quiet on the transfer front in Wattens with no new signings confirmed. The only departure was that of Florian Rieder to Austria Salzburg.

GAK (11th place | 15 points)

Franz Stolz (GK/Genoa CFC), Leon Klassen (LB/Darmstadt 98) and Mathias Olesen (CDM/Greuther Fürth) are set to bolster Feldhofer's squad on loan this spring. Sadik Fofana (Lecce), Marco Gantschnig (First Vienna), Petar Filipovic (free agent) and Tio Cipot (loan terminated from Spezia Calcio) have left GAK.

Our first match against them is on Sunday 15 February at 14:30 when we travel to Graz. Before that, Graz will face WAC in their first competitive match of the season this week.

FC Blau-Weiß Linz (12th place | 11 points)

Another team that, like us, held a camp in Belek. The Blue-Whites suffered a narrow 2-3 defeat in their first competitive match of the new year, a cup quarter-final loss to their city rivals LASK.

The Linz side, under new coach Michael Köllner, have strengthened their squad with a familiar face. In addition to Cheick Conde (on loan from FC Venezia), Nico Mantl has also been loaned from FC Arouca in Portugal until the end of the season. However, there will be no reunion with our former goalkeeper, as both regular season matches against us have already been played, and qualification for the championship group is out of reach for the struggling Linz team.