AUSTRIA 2019-20

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Football has more than one Bundesliga. A slimmed-down, ten- team Austrian version was created in 1974, from the post-war INTRO Nationalliga. In 2018-19, it expanded to 12 teams, stretching from Altach on the Swiss border to Vienna alongside Hungary, a distance of well over 600km.

But for the first three decades of the 20th century, only Viennese teams Welcome to liberoguide.com! competed for the Austrian title. True, The digital travel guide for these historic clubs – today known football fans, liberoguide.com as Rapid, Austria and Admira – were is the most up-to-date resource, among Europe’s best between the city-by-city, club-by-club, to the wars. game across Europe and North America. Using only original The first provincial side to win the photos and first-hand research, league were LASK Linz, as late as taken and undertaken over seven 1965. Although the all-time roll of seasons, liberoguide.com has honour weighs heavily in Vienna’s been put together to enhance favour, Rapid way ahead on 32 league every football weekend and Euro crowns, the country’s best-supported night experience. From airport club have only gained three titles from to arena, downtown sports bar the 1990s onwards. Austria, equally, to hotel, liberoguide.com helps three since 1993. you get the best out of your visit to football’s furthest corners and LASK With so much attention focused on showcase stadiums. another Bundesliga over the border, whose ski resorts draw focus away from and average gates in Austria below football for several months of the year. AUSTRIA 2019-20 7,000, sponsorship is paramount, The other traditionally strong provincial CONTENTS which is why so many clubs change side, Wacker Innsbruck, were relegated Station to stadium and add names regularly. Admira in 2019 but their stadium, the Tivoli- National carrier Austrian Airlines 1-3 Intro 13 Graz 21 Mattersburg currently operate as Fußballklub Neu, a Euro 2008 venue, is staging (austrian.com), BA and the main 4-6 Vienna 14 Sturm Graz 22 SV Mattersburg Flyeralarm Admira Wacker Mödling. Bundesliga games in 2019-20 as budgets fly to Vienna, Innsbruck and 7 Ernst Happel Stadion 15 Hartberg 23 Salzburg modest neighbours Wattens are using Salzburg, particularly during the skiing 8 Admira 16 TSV Hartberg 24 Red Bull Salzburg It also highlights why Red Bull at as their home ground. Now going season. These also include Lauda 9 Austria Vienna 17 Innsbruck 25 St Pölten 18 WSG Tirol/Wattens 26 SKN St Pölten Salzburg, buzzing with energy- by the name of WSG Swarovski Tirol, (laudamotion.com/la/en), created by 10 Rapid Vienna 11 Altach 19 Linz 27 Wolfsberg drink euros, have won every single the club is a typical Austrian story of the famous Austrian Grand-Prix driver, 12 SCR Altach 20 LASK 28 Wolfsberger AC Bundesliga but three since 2006, and mergers and sponsored rebranding a low-cost airline now linked with six in a row up to and including 2019. – and all backdropped by the Tyrol, Ryanair.

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finishing third, a berth in the EL third

qualifying round for fourth place – if INTRO it’s passed down from the Austrian Cup winners finishing higher.

Fifth is more complicated… In the relegation round, for which teams have also carried over half their points LINZ ST PÖLTEN VIENNA (rounded down if necessary) from the earlier stage of the season, the team St Pölten finishing bottom goes straight down to SALZBURG the second-tier 2. Liga.

MATTERSBURG Clubs finishing top and second of the relegation round play a one-game ALTACH decider at the home ground of the INNSBRUCK HARTBERG higher team, the so-called Europa League play-off semi-final. The winner GRAZ then meets the fifth-placed team from the championship round in the two-leg WOLFSBERG Europa League play-off final. Away goals count double – which is how Sturm Graz made the second qualifying round of the Europa League in 2019.

Public transport into and around which you need a vignette, minimum Top-flightBundesliga consists of 12 Austrian Cup winners also qualify for cities is excellent. For travel around fee €9.40 for ten days, available as teams, who play each other home and the Europa League – but if their league the country, Austrian rail (oebb.at/ a sticker or in a digital version. On away until the table is divided after off stage. At the end of the season, if performance already entitles them to a en) have an efficient online booking certain stretches, particularly those 22 games each. The top six go to the they had finished level with LASK, who European slot, the losing finalists don’t service, with attractive advance with tunnels, toll gates also operate. championship round, the bottom six, had won 46 points and carried over 23 automatically inherit their berth. prices. Drivers can pay in cash, by credit card the relegation round, where teams to the play-off stage, that half-point Red or online through ASFINAG (shop. again play each other home and away. Bull had lost would have been given Only the champions of the 16-team 2. National bus company Postbus asfinag.at/en), which also distributes Points obtained up until then are halved back to them. Liga gain promotion to the Bundesliga. (postbus.at/en) cover a lot of rural vignettes. and rounded down, but this half-point Often, a handful of teams cannot go up Austria untouched by rail, and often difference is taken into account should The champions go through to the anyway as they don’t fulfil the Austria FA provide a local service within towns. Tables & trophies two teams finish level after the play- Champions League group stage, the criteria and gain the necessary licence. The Austrian league system runs from off campaign. So, in 2019, Red Bull runners-up to the third qualifying Farm teams, most notably Red Bull Austria is linked by a network of the top two professional divisions to the Salzburg finished the first stage with 55 round. Entry to the Europa League Salzburg’s FC Liefering, are also exempt. Autobahns and Schnellstraßen, for lowest district level. points and carried 27 over to the play- group stage is granted to the team Clubs play each other home and away.

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Below the 2. Liga is the third-tier, three- division Regionalligen: Regionalliga INTRO Ost (Vienna, Lower Austria and Burgenland), Regionalliga Mitte (Upper Austria, Carinthia and Styria) and Regionalliga West (Salzburg, Tyrol and Vorarlberg), of 16 teams each. In theory, the bottom three of the 2. Liga swap places with the champions of each Regionalliga but clubs losing their licence may drop down first.

These three tiers, Bundesliga, 2. Liga the 12 in the Bundesliga, 16 in the 2. and Regionalligen, constitute the Liga and qualifiers from intra-regional Österreichische Fußballmeisterschaft, preliminary rounds. Regions are granted the Austrian Football Championship. the number of participants according to status: 15 for Lower Austria, four for Around three teams from each Vorarlberg. Regionalliga – allowing for external forces such as withdrawn licences and Games take place midweek. Home bankruptcies – swap places with the advantage for lesser clubs is dropped winners of the nine Landesligen, one for from the Second Round, unless they are each region listed in the Regionalligen amateur. Clubs taking part in European above – Lower Austria, Burgenland, and competitions are exempt until the Third so on. For Vienna, this fourth tier is the Round in late October. The semi-finals in League play-offs take place in late May. or early evening, and a 10.30am slot is Prices usually run from €20-€40, Wiener Stadtliga. Each consists of 16 or April are also decided after one game. Match times are 5pm on a Saturday or usually reserved for Sunday. with Topspiele, marquee fixtures, 14 clubs. Sunday, sometimes switched to 2.30pm adding another €5 on top. The final usually takes place in Vienna at the chillier ends of the season. With Entry level Below are lower levels of Landesligen, but not always – a healthy crowd of only six fixtures to play every weekend, Most clubs attract crowds in the low Stands (Tribünen) are usually with systems of promotion and 24,000 witnessed Red Bull’s victory over scheduling is rarely a problem. thousands, with Rapid pushing the designated according to geography, relegation according to region. Rapid in Klagenfurt in 2019. average up towards 6-7,000 with their so Nordtribüne, Südtribune, The 2. Liga also starts in late July but has 18,000-20,000 gates most weeks. Osttribüne Westtribüne, the main The ÖFB-Cup attracts far less interest Season’s dealings a longer winter break – early December Availability, therefore, isn’t an issue. one being Haupttribüne. Gästesektor than the league. In July, just before the The Bundesliga season runs from to later in February. With no play-offs, is the away section, Heimfansektor league season, 64 teams contest the late July to mid December then, after fixtures finish in late May. Most games Nearly all clubs distribute online, or Fankurve the home end. Most First Round, games played at the ground a two-month winter break, from mid are played on a Friday evening – 7.10pm sell through the club shop during the stadiums are all-seated but of the lower-placed club, decided on February to mid May. The initial rounds the classic kick-off time but 6.30pm or week and operate ticket windows on Stehplätze, standing places, are still the day, by extra-time and penalties of 22 games finish in early March before 8.30pm can also happen. Two fixtures match days. Ticket agency Eventim a feature in older grounds. Beer is if need be. These 64 clubs comprise the league splits in mid March. Europa take place on a Saturday, late afternoon (eventimsports.com) also distribute. plentifully available.

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Vienna VIENNA

Once a powerful football hub, Austria’s capital now hosts showpiece fixtures and Europe’s most enduring city derby, between Rapid and Austria.

Recent years have seen the Viennese giants play second fiddle to Salzburg, winners of ten titles since 2007.

Provincial clubs, admitted to the main league just before the war, didn’t make an impact until the 1970s. Before then, the game revolved around Vienna, where Europe’s first international took place, at the WAC pitch in the Prater Park between Austria and Hungary in 1902. The field still exists, with crumbled terracing behind it, as do Wiener Athletiksport Club, but mainly for hockey and tennis. Around stretch acres of recreational parkland, almost all the way to Danube, and the showcase Ernst-Happel-Stadion, revamped to host Euro 2008, including 0-0 in the European Cup of 1958-59. same site before the 2016-17 season. Favoriten is also where you find century- The first game between Rapid and Spain’s final triumph. Many still refer Today WSC compete in the third-flight Austria have equally rebuilt their own old Favoritner, aka FavAC, who play at Austria was in 1911 but the term to the arena as the Prater. When the Regionalliga Ost. Their ground, on Franz-Horr-Stadion, now the Generali- Kennergasse near Troststraße U-Bahn ‘Vienna Derby’ could then also have national team plays, the beer gardens Hernalser Hauptstraße, sits close to Arena. – their first pitch on Gudrunnstraße referred to matches with First Vienna of the fairground at the other end, in the Hernals station. is where Sindelar learned his chops. and Admira, in the north of town. shadow of Vienna’s famous big wheel, Favoriten is where Austria’s most Sindelar’s grave is in the city’s main First Vienna – ‘Vienna’ to locals – are fill with beery pre-match merriment. Rapid and Austria originated from celebrated player, Matthias Sindelar, cemetery, the Zentralfriedhof (sector Austria’s oldest club, their badge western Hietzing. Austria drifted to grew up, among the Czech families who 12B, row 3, No.11). In town, off the main bearing the Manx symbol designed by a Equally historic are Wiener-Sport- Favoriten, in southern District 10, had settled there. Shortly before his shopping street of Kärntner Straße, team member from the Isle of Man back Club, founded in 1883. The football while Rapid stayed in the west, over in death in 1939, he also bought a café in a plaque at Annagasse 3 marks the in 1894. Yellow-and-blue shirts reflect club were Austrian champions in Hütteldorf. There, Rapid rebuilt their Favoriten. Austria moved into the area house where Sindelar died in suspicious the jockey colours of their original the late 1950s, beating Juventus 7-0 former Gerhard-Hanappi-Stadion, in 1973, taking over the former home of circumstances shortly before World benefactors, the Rothschilds, who and holding the great Real Madrid to opening the Allianz Stadion on the SK Slovan Wien. War II. suggested their British and Austrian

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employees play football somewhere VIENNA other than the gardens they were paid tend. First Vienna are still based at the rustic, grass-banked Hohe Warte that was once Austria’s national stadium.

A rung or two ahead of them are FAC Team für Wien (FAC Wien for short), another venerable club. Based at the Leopold-Stroh-Stadion in Floridsdorf, FAC (Floridsdorfer Athletik-Sport Club) won the league back in 1918 but then fell into relatively obscurity. Merging with PSV Team für Wien in 2007, the club climbed back up. In 2019-20, FAC are Vienna’s main representatives in the second-tier 2. Liga – along with Austria Vienna reserves.

Admira, now Admira Wacker Mödling, ground usurped, Hakoah was reformed dominated the Austrian game in its as a sports club after the war. In 2008, pomp, in the early 1930s. Admira the Hakoah sports centre was opened, merged with SC Wacker in 1971 and near the Prater and Danube Marina, VfB Mödling in 1997, moving from comprising a pool, tennis courts and The main international bus station is by Still close to the Prater Park and less Floridsdorf to Maria Enzersdorf- modest archive with photos on display Erdberg on line U3. conventional, magdas is the first hotel Südstadt, just south of town. Three of the pre-war days. run by refugees and asylum seekers, recent European campaigns point Bed a funky, budget-friendly lodging not to better days ahead for the current Bearings The Vienna Tourist Office (wien.info/en) 15 minutes walk from the national Bundesliga side. Vienna’s Schwechat Airport is 18km has a hotel-booking service. stadium. Some rooms have balconies (11 miles) south-east of the city centre, overlooking the park and big wheel. The Brickmakers Another old Vienna name from the past, linked by CAT airport train (€12/€11 Near the Ernst-Happel-Stadion, the Hakoah, has been revived – but not in online, €21/€19 return, every 30mins, BASSENA Wien Messe Prater – until A nearby, convenient cheapie is the football form. Crowned champions of 16min journey time) to Wien-Mitte Wiener Linien city transport consists of recently called the Austria Trend – Hotel Praterstern on Mayergasse, a very strong league in 1925, Hakoah station, and regular train (€4.20, U- and S-Bahn lines, trams and buses. caters to nearby trade fairs. while the adjacent mid-range Classic were formed of Jewish players, 15min) to the main station, Wien A single ticket is €2.40, €2.60 on board. Hotel Wien is pricier but roomier. including Béla Guttmann, the globe- Hauptbahnhof. A CAT ticket plus 24hr Similarly business-oriented are the trotting manager who moulded Eusébio travel pass is €20/€19 online. A 24hr A taxi (+43 1 90 220) from airport to Courtyard Vienna Messe and, on other For a feel of old Vienna, the three-star into a European Cup winner in the early pass is otherwise €8 – there are 48hr town should cost €36, €30 if booked side of Stadion U-Bahn by the river, the Hôtel Graf Stadion on Buchfeldgasse 1960s. Banned in 1938, their Sportplatz (€14.10) and 72hr (€17.10) options. online (vienna-cars.at/en/home). Hilton Vienna Danube Waterfront. is ideally located between the

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1516 Stiegl and Starobrno. Near Karlsplatz, VIENNA cavern-like Pointers on narrow Resselgasse attracts locals and does damn good burgers, too. A short hop away on Schleifmühlgasse, Johnny’s and the Four Bells do pub-like jobs, show matches and keep late hours.

Near the Opera House, Aussie haunt Crossfield’s goes big on TV sports.

Others pubs are dotted on and off Burggasse in the 7th District, including The Duke, backbone, The Rathaus and bar-dotted Josefstädter Lizard and Shebeen, with varying Straße. Similarly old-school, opposite degrees of football focus. Look out Westbahnhof, the Fürstenhof is a too for The Brickmakers on nearby timeless classic, favoured by visiting Zieglergasse, all live sport and quality musicians. craft beer.

Right on the Gürtel, the Donauwalzer is Further up Josefstädter Straße, the a comfortable three-star with jacuzzi Café Hummel has a separate side baths a stagger from a main bar hub. room for football watching. to the fore – even down to the little Sally’s on Judengasse takes a stab at Setting the craft-beer trend, close to To stay by the other, more tourist- porthole in the sauna with a bird’s eye pub authenticity and serves until 4am. the student quarter, Brian Patton’s Löwengasse near the oriented bar hub of the Bermuda view of Vienna cityscape. excellent Charlie P’s on Währinger Hundertwasserhaus is where Barry Triangle near Schwedenplatz, In the hub of live-music spots under Straße also offers notch-above pub Stevens created his own little piece the Mercure Wien Centrum is a Beer Josefstädter Straße U-Bahn, Chelsea food. Admirable Austrian football of London in pub form at The Tube comfortable, mid-range option with a Vienna has two bar hubs: one, the has a reliably eclectic concert agenda magazine Ballesterer seems to like it Station. handy restaurant, GO! Wien, while the mainstream Bermuda Triangle near and also shows live games. too, putting on special events here. Alma Boutique Hotel round the corner Schwedenplatz; the other, attracting The Champions sports bar in the adds a little four-star individuality. an older, savvier clientele, by the Elsewhere, pubs abound: near Right in the city centre, in a cul- Vienna Marriott dedicates a corner to Gürtel ring road beneath the rail tracks Schwarzenbergplatz, Flanagans de-sac just off Naglergasse, the the Wunderteam of the 1930s – note Convenient for rail travellers and those around Josefstädter Straße station. opened in 1996, transported intimate Bockshorn was the first the portrait of Matthias Sindelar. heading to see Austria Vienna, the from a village in County Cork and and remains the best Irish pub, open Novum Hotel Congress does a job. The somewhat dated Bermuda Triangle reassembled here. Opposite, 1516 from 4pm. No TV, no WiFi, mobiles Finally, at Wien Hauptbahnhof, the has one recommendable bar in its combines house-brewed beers with discouraged – you’re here to sup, sip Admiral is a cut above the average Finally, for a touch of class near the midst, the Krah-Krah, with a TV screen football-watching – note the scarves and chat, encouraged by a well chosen smoky betting bar you’ll find all over Opera House, The Ring brings design and decent selection of beers. Nearby from far and wide. soundtrack and draught Guinness, Austria, a huge screen for football.

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For a typical qualifying match, prices STADION HAPPEL ERNST are set at €25 behind the goals, €50 for the best seats on the sidelines and €36 in the upper tier. Individual FAs may levy an administration fee on top of this.

Bars The classic pre-match spot is the Schweizerhaus, a large beer terrace by the green Praterturm in the Prater funfair. Themed after districts of For Euro 2008, €40 million of Vienna, the Schweizerhaus proffering improvements included a new U-Bahn big mugs of Budvar beer and hearty station and extending the U2 line. meat dishes. The stadium is a good Capacity was reduced to 53,000, 51,428 15min walk through the park. for the tournament itself. Near the stadium, the only proper Three-tiered seating is arranged in bar is by the racecourse track, the six colour-coded sections, labelled traditional Krieauer Beisl, signposted A-F. Sectors B and E are along the from Meiereistraße, past the stables. touchlines, A/F and C/D behind each goal. The home end is C/D nearest Back on Meiereistraße by the Stadion U-Bahn station, away A/F. stadium, the Würstelstand Stadion has been in the same Teibtner Transport family since Nat Lofthouse earned Ernst Happel Frankenstadion in Nuremberg, the six in all, but fewer than 10,000 saw The stadium has its own stop, Stadion, the nickname ‘The Lion of Vienna’ Prater was commissioned by the city’s Manchester City beat Górnik Zabrze to on the U2 line, three from the transport at an international here in 1952. Stadion Socialist administration. This two- win the Cup-Winners’ Cup in the rain hub of Praterstern. Exiting to the right, Classic Balkan grilled meat dishes tiered, 60,000-capacity amphitheatre in 1970. you arrive at sector B and the home complement the standard sausage Host of the Euro 2008 Final that arena first staged a match between end to the left, the away end round the snacks and Ottakringer beer. saw Spain on their way to world two local workers’ teams, then a Equipped with a running track and other side to the right. domination, Austria’s national Workers’ Olympiad. then a roof in 1985, the reduced- On the other side of the arena, behind stadium was built from 1928 to capacity Prater was renamed after Tickets sector E and by the Rapid Vienna celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Heavily bombed in the war, the Prater legendary coach Ernst Happel after For internationals, the Austrian FA training pitch, the Kantine Stadion is post-Habsburg Austrian republic. was quickly renovated and expanded. his death in 1992. A tribute friendly sell tickets online through its website a modest hut with outdoor seating, was played between Austria and (oefb.at). The FAs of visiting teams will with draught Ottakringer and bottled Designed by same architect Professor With a capacity of 91,000, it was a Germany, with Happel’s cap placed on distribute tickets through their own Stiegl. The nearby Stiegl hut offers Otto Ernst Schweizer who built the favoured host for European finals, the bench. websites. similar on match nights.

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Vienna Opera House to Maria Enzers- ADMIRA dorf Südstadt by the stadium, journey time 35min. Tickets (€4.70, cash only) are sold on board, this isn’t part of the city transport network. Services run until late at night.

Tickets & shop Advance tickets are sold from the club shop (Tue-Thur 4pm-7pm), a Portakabin hut where the main stand and home end meet, and online (shop. jetticket.net/Admira). Ticket windows open at 10am on match days. It’s €19 to sit in the main stand, €9 to stand in the home end, Fansektor Nord, with €7/€5 added if Rapid, Austria, LASK or Sturm are the visitors. Away fans pay €16/€20 for an uncovered/covered place.

Bars Admira Fortunately, the only bar in the vicinity is excellent: Tut Gut at Johann Steinböck- A great name in Austrian football, Straße 5 near the tennis courts, the Admira have since added so many other side of the stadium from the it’s hard to keep up. The ones of once For decades, including the title- Wacker in 1971 to galvanise support their insistent sponsors in 1966. A main stand. A large, cabin-like affair middling Viennese club Wacker and the winning glory days of the 1930s, the and aid logistics. Relatively few fans compact ground of 10,600 capacity with a terrace, it serves standard local team representing Mödling, on Vienna’s Jedlesee side were based in adjoining had followed Admira the 15km from within a municipal sports complex, dishes and Villacher beer, among southern outskirts, are the most Floridsdorf, playing big matches at Floridsdorf to Lower Austria. it comprises the main West Stand, others, and provides access to the significant. the Prater or Hohe Warte. A street the Haupttribüne, with the uncovered adjoining members’ bar, the Legende in Floridsdorf is named after Anton Yet, after a further merger, with home Fansektor Nord behind one goal. Stüberl von Hanke D, with links to Business arrangements not only Schall, top scorer when Admira made Mödling. and thanks to local Away fans are allocated the adjoining 1970s’ Admira midfielder Johannes created Admira Wacker Mödling the Mitropa Cup final in 1934. entrepreneurial siblings the end of the Tribüne Ost opposite the Demantke. Admira history, from stars of (flyeralarmadmira.at) but also moved Thonhausers, Admira bounced back, main stand and grass verge behind the the pre-war Wunderteam to images of the original Admira club, formed in Forced by sponsors to move beyond even making Europe in 2012, 2016 and south goal. Euronights from the 1970s, covers the Jedlesee, from Vienna’s northern Vienna’s southern borders to Maria 2018. walls. Sadly, it can’t operate on match outskirts. There’s no place called Enzersdorf-Südstadt in 1966, leaving Transport days when Rapid or Austria are the Admira – it was the ship that conveyed their last ground to Floridsdorfer side Now known as the Südstadter, Admira The quaint Badner Bahn runs every opponents – otherwise, it’s ideal, and Jedlesee locals across the Atlantic. FAC, Admira then hooked up with play at the BSFZ Arena, built by 15min from Opernring right beside the open through the week, too.

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Austria Vienna VIENNA AUSTRIA

Austria Vienna (fk-austria.at) are the second most titled club in the domestic game behind age-old rivals Rapid.

Their first managers were Jimmy Hogan then Hugo Meisl, two of the most influential figures in the pre-war game. Austria had in their ranks a player from the Czech community of Favoriten, Matthias Sindelar. A centre- Museum (€6) contains a memorial forward of divine skills, Sindelar room to Hugo Meisl with original typified the clever passing game artefacts from his flat in Karl-Marx- practised by Austria Vienna and Meisl’s Hof, as well as a display of pre-war national Wunderteam. branded artefacts that illustrate the star-like popularity of Matthias After the war, Austria were pretty much Sindelar. nomadic, playing at Hohe Warte or the Prater. In 1973, the club moved into a Bars permanent home, the former Slovan There are few options around Wien stadium in Favoriten, Sindelar’s the ground – near Altes Landgut old stomping ground. First named U-Bahn station, the Café City X after the head of the Viennese Football (Favoritenstraße 213) is a basic spot for Association, Franz Horr, it underwent main road. Visiting supporters are choose the stadium exit and you’ll see Sturm Graz. Expect to pay €25 for a beer and standard Austrian food. several changes before reopening in allocated sectors 144-147 in the lower the Generali-Arena to your left as you decent seat. 2018. tier and upper 228-232 between the emerge above ground. At the stadium, the Viola Sportsbar by sideline Nordtribüne and Westtribüne Shop the club shop operates on the first The Südtribüne was renamed the behind the opposite goal to the home Tickets The Get Violett megastore sits behind floor, with flat-screen TVs on every Matthias Sindelar-Tribüne, the whole end, the Osttribüne. The press box is in Advance tickets are sold at the the Osttribüne, offering violet-coloured pillar. One row of windows overlooks stadium the Generali-Arena after its the Südtribüne. Get Violett megastore behind the digital cameras, branded men’s the training pitch, the other the sponsors. Osttribüne and online (tickets.fk- perfumes, barbecue sets and toasters. stadium itself. Puntigamer beer, also Transport austria.at). By the club store, ticket It also provides access to the club offered in huts around the ground, is Capacity is now 17,500, reduced to The red U1 U-Bahn line runs to Altes windows operate on match days. museum. complemented by Wiener Schnitzel 15,500 for European fixtures. The Landgut, eight minutes from central and Viola burgers. Open during the entrance for away fans, Gäste, is hub of Karlsplatz, five from Vienna’s For league fixtures, prices start from Museum week, on match days, it’s for home clearly signposted in the north-west main train station at Südtiroler Platz- €15 with a €4-€6 increase for top Opened with the revamping of the fans only but friendly neutrals should corner of the stadium, right over the Hauptbahnhof. From Altes Landgut, games against Rapid, Salzburg and home Osttribüne, the FK Austria Wien be accommodated.

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Museum & tours VIENNA RAPID Accessed through the FanShop, the Rapideum (€7) is linked by the theme of ‘Together, Battle, Win’, running through each era from the Zur Schmelz pub in the late 19th century to the present day. Tickets can be combined with a 45-minute stadium tour (German-only) at €15.

Bars From Hütteldorf station, on the corner with Bahnhofstraße, the homely Gasthaus Peschta is an old locals’ bar with framed Rapid and Wiener Sport- Club line-ups from various eras.

Rapid Vienna Further down Keißlergasse, opposite the stadium, the Stag’s Head is a Austria’s most popular and most comfortable restaurant/faux pub with titled club, based in the Hütteldorf its own Stag’s Head beer, plus proper district of west Vienna, Rapid (skrapid. Budweiser, Guinness and Kilkenny, a full at/en) have a title drought dating back menu and lunchtime specials. to 2008. Tickets B-category in the corners (sectors 9 Past the stadium, the Café Corner is a Despite this, club invested in the future The main ticket outlets are the and 12 offering the best views) are €32, small but authentic Rapid fans’ bar, while with the €54 million Allianz Stadion, FanCorner tucked inside the FanShop C-category (including sectors 4-5 behind the timeless Stüberl zum Weststadion built on the site of its predecessor, the Both home and away ends have standing by the huge RAPID sign on Keißlergasse the Nordtribüne goal) €25. Hard-core (Deutschordenstraße 16) has plastered Gerhard-Hanappi-Stadion. Its capacity terraces, removed for European fixtures, and the Rapid FanShop in the Stadion Rapid fans and visiting supporters pay its traditional wooden interior in Rapid of 28,600 was achieved in such a when capacity reduces to 24,000, the Center behind Stadion U-Bahn station. €20 to stand in sectors 15-18 and 6-7 line-ups season-by-season. cramped, residential space by rotating Gästesektor from 2,500 to 1,800. There are also German-language sales respectively. For top league games the stadium 90 degrees, so that the online (tickets.rapidshop.at). against Austria Vienna and Salzburg, At the stadium, payment for half-litres legendary Westtribüne is now on the Transport prices increase by €3-€5. of Ottakringer lager is by smartcard, south side, lining Keißlergasse. It keeps Hütteldorf is the terminus of the green Match-day sales are from the windows available from vendors around faith with history, if not geography, by U4 line or on the quicker S-Bahn S50 next to the FanShop at the stadium, from Shop the ground. In the main stand, the being called Block West (sectors 15-18). line that sets off from Westbahnhof, 10am. At the main Fanshop and smaller Rekordmeister Bar on the third floor is journey time only 5min. Take exit branch at the Stadion Center near the done out in Rapid green with black-and- Visiting fans are allocated Gästesektor Keißlergasse, cross the road as you The best A-category seats are €40 in Ernst-Happel, quality T-shirts show the white archive photo murals – it’s also 6-7 in a corner of the Nordtribüne. come out and veer right. sectors 10-11 over the halfway line, original workers’ team from 1898. open during the week.

liberoguide.com 10 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Altach www.liberoguide.com/altach

this homely 60-room guesthouse is ALTACH all carved wood and historic portraits around reception and breakfast room, but features rain showers in bathrooms, with a communal sauna area. The bar, serving Mohren beer, is ideal pre-match.

Nearby on Brolsstraße, the Gasthof Sonne comprises 11 simple rooms and a decent restaurant.

More options sit close to Hohenems The train takes around 2hr 30min-3hr station, one stop from Altach, including from either city, changing two to four the three-star Schatz and Valerian. times from Zürich, once Innsbruck, at Feldkirch. Vienna is 7hr, also changing Beer at Feldkirch. Behind the church, the Suki caters to the card-playing pensioners in Altach station is at the opposite end of the adjoining old people’s home but town to the stadium but nothing’s more that shouldn’t put you off – it’s a than a 10-15min walk. Infrequent Bus lovely bar and terrace, serving local und Bahn services (€1.50 on board) Fohrenburger beer from Bludenz and stop near the stadium, station and displaying Kodak snaps of younger and gained promotion to the second- Schnabelholz, aka Cashpoint Arena, main landmark in between, the church, SCR-supporting regulars. Liverpool is Altach tier Erste Liga thanks to a play-off win in the far west of town, closer to Kirche. another in-house fave, judging by the over regional rivals Lustenau. the Swiss border than it is to Altach pennant and cover of Abbey Road, and The little region Vorarlberg is where station. Taxi mathis (+43 5576 73173) in there’s a TV screen, too. Austria, Switzerland, Germany and It proved to a wise bet. Within two busier, neighbouring Hohenems offers Liechtenstein meet. The biggest team seasons, Altach had reached the The community in between, transfers to several airports. Further down Achstraße towards the here was traditionally Bregenz, who Bundesliga. Within ten, they had surprisingly numbering 6,000-plus, station, the terrace-and-TV equipped filed for bankruptcy in 2005. reached Europe, and repeated the feat contains a couple of hotels and Bed Grubwieser café/restaurant offers two years later, each time a vital goal restaurants, its club attracting no few Vorarlberg Travel (vorarlberg.travel) decent local wines amid arty décor By contrast, that was just when conceded at home standing between floating fans from across Vorarlberg. provides details of the limited hotel while over on Rheinstraße, the gambling firm Cashpoint was putting SCR and the group stage of the Europa stock in town. The ideal base is the Gasthaus Hirschen is picture-postcard its chips on little Altach. Here, close to League. Bearings traditional Hotel Hahn, 5min walk from traditional, its vine-covered beer the Swiss border formed by the Rhine, The nearest main airports are the stadium, through the underpass garden the ideal spot for a Wiener SC Rheindorf Altach had just lifted the ‘Home’, in both cases, was Innsbruck, in Zürich 127km (79 miles) and below the main road. Overseen by schnitzel and pint of Erdinger or regional Vorarlberg Cup for a fifth time and not the modest Stadion Innsbruck 163km (101 miles) away. Frau Hahn, 50 years in the business, Mohren.

liberoguide.com 11 AUSTRIA 2019-20 SCR Altach www.liberoguide.com/scr-altach

SCR Altach ALTACHSCR

In 2017, SC Rheindorf Altach (scra. at) finished seven points above record Austrian champions Rapid Vienna then embarked on a Europa League campaign that saw them beat 2015 Belgian champions KAA Gent.

True, they struggled in 2018-19, as they have in many seasons since Tucked in a valley beside the motorway sponsorship money from betting firm that follows the nearby border with Cashpoint first pushed the club into Switzerland, the stadium comprises the Bundesliga in 2006. four stands, the home Südtribüne with a standing terrace the length of the Austria’s smallest provincial region, penalty box. Visiting supporters are Vorarlberg, is also its footballing allocated a standing area in a corner backwater, as far as you can get from of the Nordtribüne – distances from Vienna without being in Switzerland. Vienna and Graz mean that this is not Yet Altach, formed in 1929, reformed one of the most popular away trips for 20 years later, with little pedigree fans who usually travel in numbers. save for six Vorarlberg Cups, the most recent won as as amateurs, The rest of the Nordtribüne is also have held their own, pretty much, standing terracing. The sideline Ost- 9am-noon, 2pm-5pm, Fri 9am-4pm) each with the Cashpoint sponsor’s against the biggest clubs in the and Westtribünen provide the most several weeks in advance, with early- band across the chest. Austrian game. convivial seating, middle sectors B-D bird discounts of €2 up to ten days and G-I the priciest. before the game. Prices on the day rise Bars The summer of 2019 saw capacity at by €1. Topspiele against Rapid, Austria The cosy wooden bar at the Hotel the Cashpoint Arena, aka Stadion Transport Vienna, Red Bull, Sturm and LASK add Hahn, serving Mohren beer, is the Schnabelholz, rise to 8,500, more You’ll need to walk the length of Altach, another €4 across the board. only pre-match option, although than half of those places seated. east to west, to get from the station to the stadium bar running half the Used pre-season by top clubs such the stadium – all 15 minutes of it. Bus Basic admission to stand behind either length of the Osttribüne below the as Liverpool, West Ham and Borussia und Bahn services are infrequent – goal is €16, to sit €19-€25. motorway more than makes up for Dortmund, the stadium can also there’s a stop by the Hotel Hahn. it. Fohrenburger beer from nearby stage European ties. As soon as the Shop Bludenz goes for €2.90/€3.80, and Gents and Maccabi Tel-Avivs of this Tickets The Fan-Shop at the stadium office you’re close enough to Switzerland and currywurst, all around €4. Rows world are the visitors, however, the Tickets go on sale online (tickets.scra. stocks home tops of white with black for St Galler white sausages to be of outdoor tables overlook the pitch, venue changes to Innsbruck. at) or from the club office (Mon-Thur markings, and away ones of deep red, served alongside standard bratwurst conveniently close to the home end.

liberoguide.com 12 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Graz www.liberoguide.com/graz

Graz GRAZ

Austria’s second city of Graz was at its peak when city rivals Sturm and GAK won three Austrian titles between 1998 and 2004.

A recent mini revival has seen Sturm claim another and GAK come back as a phoenix club, winning six divisions to climb to the second tier in 2019. Beer In between, the capital of Styria was Just off the main square, scarf-decorated overlooked when Austria chose its O’Carolan’s and food-focused Flann Euro 2008 venues, that honour going O’Brien are long-established hostelries, to the soccer backwater of Klagenfurt, Guinness and match action the order of where there wasn’t even a suitable the day, just as at TV-filled Molly Malone stadium then in place. on Färbergasse near the Cathedral. It stands on the fringe of the so-called Shared by both Graz clubs, the Bermuda Triangle of nightspots, Dizzy’s former Arnold-Schwarzenegger- by Rich and Steirerpub being typical Stadion is referred to as Liebenau 2hrs to Graz (3hrs, €25-€30 online) Bed examples. after the area in the southern – change at Wien Hbf if you’ve just Graz Tourismus (graztourismus.at) has outskirts towards Slovenia. Today, it missed one. a database of local hotels. Alongside on narrow is the Merkur Arena. Trauttmansdorffgasse, The Office Pub Graz station is west of town, a 15min Near the stadium, AMEDIA is a also attracts expats while O’Rígínal Bearings walk away or four stops over the Mur collection of 49 art-inspired suites Reloaded on Jakominiplatz does a Underused Graz Airport is 10km (six river by tram, part of the Verbund with a roof terrace, sauna and 24-hour great job of providing live music, 30 miles) south of town, connected by Linie network of trams and buses check-in. types of beer, 80 kinds of whiskeys and S5 S-Bahn train from a platform 400 with the same ticket system as from live match broadcasts. metres away to Graz Hbf (10min) or the airport. The stadium is on the Just the other side of Ostbahnhof, also Hotel Europa Graz nearby suits a bus Nos.630/631 to Jakominiplatz southern outskirts of town, accessible walking distance from the Merkur weekend break. Alongside the station, So far, so tourist-friendly. For a feel (20min) every 30min. A single ticket by tram and close to Ostbahnhof- Arena, Roomz adds design touches to the Hotel Daniel has been a railway of real Graz, the fabulous Murstüberl is €2.50 (valid 1hr), 24 Stunden day Messe, with swift, frequent services its wallet-friendly lodgings. hotel since the 1880s, now all funky zum Stamperl just off the main pass €5.50. from Graz main station. and urban, with Vespas for guests’ use square on Franziskanergasse, a Near the station, the chain B&B and an espresso bar. Facing it across narrow, cubbyhole of a bar serving From Vienna International Airport Graz Taxi 24 (+43 31 681 2190/+43 676 Hotel Graz-Hbf offers affordable Europaplatz, the ibis Graz Hotel is a local Murauer beer to regulars from 200km away, a direct train runs every 510 1993), accept credit cards. convenience, while the mid-range handy economy option. 7am to 2am.

liberoguide.com 13 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Sturm Graz www.liberoguide.com/sturm-graz

Online sales are through Eventim GRAZ STURM (eventimsports.de).

The cheapest places are in the Fankurve (€16, €18 for Preisklasse I against Red Bull and the Vienna duo), but they’re usually sold out anyway. Six sectors near the corners are €21/€25, the best seats in 2-7, 15-17, 19-21 €26-€32.

Puntigamer beer still features strongly on the black-and-white stripes, away Sturm Graz tops of all black and green third kit. Bars Thrice Austrian champions and If you’re coming by train to Ostbahnhof, regular European competitors, Sturm the Mistyria over the main road serves Graz (sksturm.at/en) have been a Puntigamer beer and fast food, with Bundesliga mainstay since it was tables outside. Across from the stadium created in 1974 – indeed, Die Schwoazn tram stop, Dampflok (‘Steam Loco’) have rarely dipped out of the top flight fills a standalone house with pub-like since the war. bonhomie in an atmospheric ex-station building of bare brick and retro beer Formed, as their old-school badge ads. Similar in vein, Gasthaus zur indicates, in 1909, Sturm usually Endstation next door deals more in attract the country’s second-highest celebrity Arnold Schwarzenegger visiting supporters in the south-east either take tram Nos.1, 3, 6 or 7 to huge schnitzels. home gates after Rapid – even more when it opened in 1997, it now goes corner, with the Familiensektoren Hauptplatz then change, or take a so after eternal local rivals GAK were by the name of the Merkur Arena. in this same south end, 23-24. VIPs local train to Ostbahnhof-Messe Over the road, immediately behind the dissolved and revived as a phoenix enjoy prime views over the halfway (7min) and walk down or hop on the Fankurve, the little Stadionbeisl is a club. Sturm, meanwhile, have met the Set on the southern outskirts of line from the Westtribüne, neutrals No.4 for two stops. match-day dispenser of Puntigamer likes of Juventus, Anderlecht and Ajax Graz, this compact stadium holds are placed in sectors 2-6 in the beer and…um… Puntigamer beer. in recent seasons. just over 16,000, making it also ideal sideline Osttribüne. Tickets & shops for low-key Austrian internationals Advance tickets are sold at the Behind the stadium on Liebenauer Home for most of the 20th century and pre-tournament friendlies, such Transport Sturmshops in town (Hans-Sachs- Tangente, trendy Nullneun combines was Sturm-Platz, aka Gruabn, on as England v Japan in 2010. From central Hauptplatz/Congress, Gasse 8, Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat wine bar, café and restaurant in one, Jakominigürtel, which the club had frequent tram No.4 takes 12min to 10am-5pm) – and at the stadium with a sun terrace – beer also sold. Also outgrown long before the decision For Sturm games, the home reach Stadion Liebenau, the stop (Mon-Sat 10am-5pm, match days), on this side, alongside the stadium, was made to rebuild the Liebenauer Fankurve is sectors 9-13 in the next to the Merkur Arena. If you’re where the Servicepoint Ticketing Heinz is Hooters rebranded, still Stadion. First named after local Nordtribüne. Gästesektor 27 is for coming from the main station, opens 2hrs before kick-off. serving American sports-bar fare.

liberoguide.com 14 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Hartberg www.liberoguide.com/hartberg

More contemporary, on main Grazer HARTBERG Straße outside the centre, run by the couple of the same name, the Pusswald exudes luxury, its rooms with jacuzzi baths and vast flat-screen TVs. The restaurant and wine bar are equally select. Further out, past the hospital, Zur Lebing dates back centuries, warm and familial, with a nice bar and wooden veranda.

Beer On and off the main square, Die Sonne time 2hr 30min-3hr. Graz is 1hr 30min has created a popular terrace spot out away by bus Nos.X30 or 300 (€15). of a former hotel, while John Cor fills a pub-like room with chatter between Hartberg station is a short walk to regulars and barman Bernard. A the stadium and a longer one to the scarf and pennant from a Rangers town centre 15min west. The national visit occupies wall space alongside executions of brave anti-Nazi partisans Postbus service runs through fairly TV football action. Across the square, took place during the same week infrequently. Cappuccino is where the original as VE Day, the then Hartberger Hof members of TSV met in the late 1940s – restaurant, today’s Café Cappuccino, City Taxi (+43 664 38 25 462) provide today it’s a smart café with a terrace. is where citizens gathered to create a reliable local service, and airport a multi-sports club to lift spirits and transfers. A late-night hub at the bottom of change focus. Herrengasse includes Party Alm and Bed Trio, and one where Michaeligasse Sponsorship by a Hartberg bank then Hartberg Tourist Office (stadt-der- meets Wienerstraße features Ums Eck pushed its modest football team up sinne.at) has an accommodation and cocktail-centric Mellon. Having gained two promotions in as the divisions, allowing TSV to embark database and booking function. Hartberg many seasons, TSV Hartberg set about on cup runs and, eventually, gain For a lovely locals’ spot, Hansis improving the Profertil Arena, the promotion. Right on the main square, Zum Bierstube by the farmers’ market on The pretty little Styrian town of smallest in the Bundesliga, its capacity Brauhaus is restaurant and old-school Grazer Straße serves draught Paulaner Hartberg, halfway between Graz and a couple of thousand under the local Bearings hotel in one – contemporary touches and Puntigamer in cosy wooden the Hungarian border, has only known population of nearly 7,000. The train from Vienna Airport 142km belying a family tradition of 160 years. surroundings, with a TV over the top-flight football since 2018, and (88 miles away) and/or Vienna main Nearby on Herrenstraße, the Alter doorway inside. even then had to fight for it through Team and stadium date back to 1946, station to Hartberg (€25) requires at Gerichtshof is not as pricy as it looks, the courts after winning the right on as Hartberg recovered from the war. least one change, at Wiener Neustadt, 16 well-appointed rooms in a historic At the station, Puntigamer beer also the pitch. Overlooking the main square where onto outer platform 21, overall journey building with a pretty garden. flows at BB1, with tables outside.

liberoguide.com 15 AUSTRIA 2019-20 TSV Hartberg www.liberoguide.com/tsv-hartberg

TSV Hartberg HARTBERG TSV

Their logo displaying the shape of an elegant gymnast below the date ‘1946’, Turn- und Sportverein Hartberg (tsv- hartberg-fussball.at) have come a long way since a handful of locals met up in the aftermath of World War II and decided to create a gymnastic and sports club to offer some hope for the future.

The blue and white were taken from the city’s coat of arms. At the same time, a municipal sports ground, today’s Profertil Arena Hartberg, was built just south of the main road to nearby Hungary, where the Iron Curtain would soon fall. smart Bar + Co (closed Sun) serves The football department played out Murauer and König Ludwig beers, games in the local Styrian leagues fine wines and cocktails on a decked before sponsorship pushed the team terrace or a sleek interior with flat- to the second tier and an Austrian Cup Arbitration for the right to make their The stands behind each goal, Nord 9am-noon, Thur 3pm-5pm) by the VIP screen TVs, next to an equally neat semi-final in the mid-1990s. Another top-tier debut in 2018-19. and Süd, are covered and seated. The entrance at the stadium and from the pizzeria, La Piazza. Across the road, run to the last four in 2012 featured best seats are in the Westtribüne, with INTERSPORT store in the HATRIC mall Schnitzel & Co offers Puntigamer beer a dramatic victory at nearby Sturm Surprising many, they stayed up, Rajko areas of standing either side, right by behind the station. and fast food. Graz, Hartberg surprising their more Rep gaining a Slovenian cap for his the running track. prestigious hosts by motoring ahead in performances up front. The club also distributes online Between the Osttribüne and the north extra-time, 4-2. Transport through QTIXX (shop.qtixx.com). On goal, Hütterl is a standalone house and Promotion pushed the club into The stadium is a short walk up match days, the ticket windows open little beer garden, where rösti potatoes, Hatfuls of goals from prolific Austro- increasing capacity, currently at Bahnhofstraße from the station, 1.5hrs before kick-off. It’s €22 to sit meatballs and Puntigamer beer are Bosnian Dario Tadić led to promotion just over 5,000. Average gates are turning left at the roundabout. and €18 to stand, with a €3 levy for enjoyed on match days. from the third flight in 2017 followed 3,000-plus. Away fans stand in the Sturm, Salzburg and the Viennese duo. by a runners-up spot in the Erste Osttribüne, either divided with home Tickets & shop Right behind that same stand, Kantine Liga. Initially refused a berth in the fans or, If Sturm, Rapid or Austria are Advance tickets and standard blue- Bars also caters to fans on the day, with a Bundesliga, Hartberg successfully in town, entirely occupied with out-of- and-white souvenirs are distributed Overlooking the roundabout on the ping-pong table if you get there early, lobbied at the National Court of towners. from the club office (Mon-Tue, Fri main road of Ferdinand-Leihs-Straße, and a TV.

liberoguide.com 16 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Innsbruck www.liberoguide.com/innsbruck

Stadion for Bundesliga football, the INNSBRUCK Innsbruck 16,000-capacity Tivoli 10km away was the obvious choice. Usually referred The Tyrolean resort of Innsbruck has to as the Tivoli-Neu, it forms part twice hosted the Winter Olympics and of the Olympiaworld complex, with provided soon-to-be champions Spain the Bergisel Ski Jump in the misty with the perfect springboard in the background. group stage of Euro 2008. Bearings It’s also a Bundesliga venue for Innsbruck Airport is 4km (2.5 miles) 2018-19 – but not for long-troubled west of town, connected by bus F local club Wacker, former European (€4, every 15min) to the main station, opponents of Real Madrid and Celtic. journey time 20min. Taxi Innsbruck (+43 512 5311) should charge around As the Schwarz-Grün went down, so €17. From Vienna Airport 500km (310 WSG Tirol went up, the Grün-Weiß miles) away, change trains at Vienna from nearby Wattens a partner club Hbf or Salzburg, overall journey time of the Innsbruck giants back when around 5hr, advance tickets €30. they were winning Austrian titles. The connection is Swarovski, the Wattens- Innsbruck station is just east of the city based glass manufacturers long centre at Südtirolerplatz, the stadium linked to football in both communities. south-east, more easily accessible From company founder Daniel when by IVB bus. A single ticket, also valid the club was formed in 1930, to for trams, is €2.60, 24-hour day pass current incumbent, his great-great- €5.90. The Postbus regional service the traditional four-star Sailer tucked sport and Kinnegar craft beer. granddaughter, all four presidents of runs on a different ticket system. down Adamgasse has been run by the Limerick Bill’s on tourist-flocked Wattens have been Swarovskis. The same namesake family since 1896. Maria-Theresen-Straße provides less firm also backed an offshoot of Wacker, Bed authentic competition. Swarovski Tirol, who made the UEFA Innsbruck Info (innsbruck.info) links For the real Innsbruck experience, Cup semi-final in 1987, a short-lived to a hotel-booking service. Across the book a room at the four-star Grauer On nearby Anichstraße, Krahvogel but very successful operation who won main road opposite the stadium, the Bär on Universitätstraße, with its serves ten tap beers and red or green two Austrian titles under Ernst Happel. Ramada by Wyndham is only a three- rooftop pool. Affordability and location absinthe in a sprawling, pub-like star despite its impressive exterior, are the attractions at the Goldene interior, a similar selection offered at The other connection is Innsbruck’s gym and sauna. Krone on equally central Maria- atmospheric stablemate Elferhaus on Tivoli Stadion, where Happel’s men Theresien-Straße. Herzog-Friedrich-Straße. ruled supreme, rebuilt for Euro 2008. By the station, ibis sits alongside, palatial Grand Hotel Europa diagonally Beer Late party fun has been the stock-in- When WSG Tirol needed a home opposite dates back to 1869, the The Galway Bay on Kaiserjägerstraße trade of Jimmy’s, tucked off Wilhelm- bigger than their Gernot-Langes- stylish aDlers has a rooftop bar and is the main Irish pub, offering TV Greil-Strasse, for nearly 30 years.

liberoguide.com 17 AUSTRIA 2019-20 WSG Tirol/Wattens www.libero.guide.com/wsg-tirol

Tickets & shop WSG TIROL/WATTENS Advance tickets are sold from the WSG shop (Mon-Thur 8.30am-12.30pm, 1.30pm-5pm, Fri 8.30am-noon) facing the Gernot-Langes-Stadion in Wattens and at Ö-Ticket (Mon-Fri 8am-5pm) at the Tivoli Stadion, who distribute online (oeticket.com) and on the day. It’s €20 to sit in the Ost- or Westtribüne, €16 in the home sector, €18 the away.

Looking like a jeweller’s showroom, the WSG Shop in Wattens stocks standard green-and-white merchandise. WSG Tirol/Wattens Bars By the Tivoli, the Sports Bar at Playing Bundesliga football at the Olympiaworld serves burgers, surf Tivoli Stadion Tirol in Innsbruck, & turf and Zipfer beer as TVs screen dramatically backdropped by the the latest action. Open daily in winter, Alps and alongside the prestigious closed from late afternoon and Olympiahalle, WSG Tirol (wsg- weekends in summer. fussball.at/en) have come a long way. On the other side of the Tivoli, the Perhaps more than the 10km from Wiesengasse sits by the sports ground Wattens, in fact. In the summer of contributed significantly to the As Wacker went down from the crowd – WSG attracted an average of the same name, with beer, bar 2019, they changed their home ground new club’s five-title dominance of Bundesliga, WSG went up, but they 1,100 gate when winning the 2. Liga in food and games on a big screen. The from the Gernot-Langes-Stadion and the Austrian game and European share the Tivoli in the Tyrolean capital. 2018-19. The Gernot-Langes is slated Wacker Fan-Treff on that side of the their name from WSG Wattens, based successes – but Wacker got the credit Known as the Tivoli-Neu since the for an upgrade and expansion. stadium may also open for WSG games at the modest Tyrolean market town and the silverware. rebuild for Euro 2008, the new ground – it may not. of the same name. holds 16,000. Transport After the split in ’86, Wattens Bus Nos.505, 4134 and 4141 run every By the Gernot-Langes-Stadion, With the founder of the local played in the regional divisions. For WSG games, the sideline Ost- 30min-1hr from outside the station, Carlo’s is a quality Italian restaurant Swarovski luxury glass company as Promoted to the second tier in 2016, and Westtribünen are used, plus over the river to Olympiaworld. The and the stadium bar in the main president, Wattens were formed in WSG Wattens won the division in sectors 9 and 10 for away fans last two routes go one more stop, stand operates whenever Wattens 1930 and did little for 40 years until 2019. Club president, great-great- in the Südtribüne. Wattens fans to Landessportcenter right outside play here. At nearby Fritzens- merging with Wacker Innsbruck. granddaughter of the Swarovski are allocated sector 1 nearest the the Tivoli Stadion. With traffic and Wattens station, friendly owner Karla Providing top keeper Friedl Koncilia founder, duly announced the name Nordtribüne. Locals and neutrals the flyover tricky for pedestrians, it’s dispenses bottled beer to regulars and other internationals, Wattens change to WSG Tirol. comprise much of the 2,500-plus worth the 7min bus journey. sat outside the Buffet Trafik.

liberoguide.com 18 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Linz www.liberoguide.com/linz

guestrooms beneath a rooftop bar. LINZ Right on Hauptplatz, the Wolfinger dates back to the 1500s, its rooms overlooking the historic main square.

The ARCOTEL Nike towers over the Danube from Untere Donaulände, with a spa and gym.

Beer Drinking spots dot the historic centre between the main square and the river. The Granit Bierstube on Pfarrgasse, run by the convivial Petra and her Bed husband, prioritises the beers of Upper Linz Tourismus (linztourismus.at) has Austria, Eggenberg in particular, as well a hotel database with direct booking. as TV football. Alongside, older regulars gather at the Gösser Keller. Outside, Hotels close to the station are the terrace catches the late afternoon convenient for the Linzer Stadion, sun as it falls over the main square. where LASK play European games. Opposite the station, the ibis Linz City Down a passageway behind the Holy LASK are now based at the TGW-Arena comprises 146 rooms and a restaurant. Trinity column, the Old Dubliner Linz out by the airport but play European Behind on Weingartshofstraße, homely dispenses pints of the black stuff. On games at the Linzer – where they plan Zur Lokomotive opened in 1906 and Domgasse, Kieran and team run a Capital of Upper Austria, Linz is to return by 2022-23. was recently modernised. top football pub, the Chelsea, where where the national title first went after live matches share the spotlight with staying in Vienna for more than half a Bearings Also close, the Dom-Hotel on English stand-up. For live music, nearby century. Pioneering champions in 1965, The nearest main airport is Baumbachstraße comprises 40 four- Rox Musicbar & Grill on Graben also LASK were later rescued by fans and Salzburg, 138km (86 miles) away. star rooms and eight in the House in combines TV sport. investors to take runners-up spot in Bus Nos.2 runs to the main station Linz/Donau (€25-€45) takes 1hr the Garden. the Austrian Bundesliga in 2019. (20min journey time, €2.50 on board) 45min. Some require a change at Keintzel on Rathausgasse shows sport every 10-20min. From there, a train Vienna main station. On Hessenplatz, the Park Inn by on a flat-screen TV by the bar, though Linz is a two-club city. Both have to Linz/Donau station takes just over Radisson Linz is more affordable than you can sip your Linzer Bier in the almost gone under and, at one point, an hour – average tickets €30, online Linz city transport consists of trams its business-friendly rooms and 24- courtyard garden. even merged. The one constant has specials €9. and buses. Single tickets (€2.40, up to hour gym would suggest. been the Linzer Stadion they’ve used, 4 stops €1.30) and day passes (€4.80) Away from the river, Stiegl-Klosterhof where second-flight Blau-Weiß Linz Vienna Airport is 208km (129 miles) are sold from machines by stops. For a Towards the river on Herrenstraße, on Landstraße serves signature Stiegls play all season. from Linz. A regular direct train to taxi, call +43 732 6969. the Hotel Schwarzer Bär has 54 on a pretty terrace.

liberoguide.com 19 AUSTRIA 2019-20 LASK www.liberoguide.com/lask

LASK LASK

Revived in 2013, Bundesliga runners-up in 2019, LASK (lask.at) have waited half a century to regain the limelight after their groundbreaking double of 1965.

It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though – the ultimately successful campaign of 2016-17 had started with a move to the rebuilt Waldstadion out by Linz airport in Pasching. Poor segregation led to violent scenes when a rare city derby with Blau-Weiß was staged there. Today’s compact Raiffeisen Arena, For most Bundesliga games, prices close to Linz Airport, will be LASK’s hover around €18 for a seat (€16 in home until 2022, when they are due to advance), €16 to stand (€14). return to a revamped Linzer Stadion. European games are still conducted at Shop this venerable ground in town. The modest LASK Shop at the club offices just inside the main entrance Way out west, the 6,000-capacity arena stocks a range of zebra-striped gear. was renovated in 2017, comprising a main covered West-Tribüne where the Bars Business Club is located, and a roofed VIPs and sponsors can take advantage standing terrace lining the opposite Ost- the minimum taxi fare of €15 if you’re tram stop, walk 100 meters up to Auto Center in the Passage Linz on of the large white marquee at the far Tribüne. Home fans occupy the standing hopping immediately from plane to Rittmann, turn left, then left again Landstraße and the Mach Sport store Nord-Tribüne end of the main stand terrace behind the Nord-Tribüne goal, stadium. down Poststraße – allow 10min. in the PlusCity mall in Pasching near while above, a match-day bar on the while the away Gästesektor takes up the stadium. You can also visit the first floor gives fans a perfect view a third of the Süd-Tribüne parallel to Coming from town, from the main An hourly S-Bahn regional train from ticket windows just inside the main from a raised terrace on that same Poststraße. This has its own entrance square of Hauptplatz and main station Linz/Donau station in town takes gates of the Raiffeisen Arena or buy corner. beside the gate at the wheelchair- of Hauptbahnhof, tram Nos.3 and 4 7min to reach Pasching (2 stops), from online (tickets.lask.at). accessible end of the West-Tribüne. (every 15-20min, Mon-Sat only, not where it’s a 2km walk straight down For away fans and neutrals, the Sun or hols) both go to the nearest Kürnbergstraße. On match days, the ticket offices PlusCity mall is one tram stop/10min Transport stop to the stadium, Wagram, journey open two hours before kick-off – with walk away, where the Grillamt outlet The Raiffeisen Arena may be close, times 25min and 15min respectively. Tickets average crowds hovering close to finds room for a proper bar counter just over 3km as the crow flies, from Weekdays, the last service back to Outlets include the centrally located capacity, it may be worth emailing the with great on-tap options, surrounded Linz Airport, but you’ll still be paying town is just after 6pm. From Wagram LASK Verkaufsstelle in the Service- club, [email protected]. by barbecue equipment.

liberoguide.com 20 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Mattersburg www.liberoguide.com/mattersburg

Mattersburg MATTERSBURG

Burgenland is a thin sliver of a region snaking around the Hungarian border – and only known for its footballing prowess reasonably recently. Mattersburg, home of SV Mattersburg, isn’t even its biggest town. Peacock Pub Top-class football was first witnessed here with the visit of Rapid Vienna to Bearings open SVM’s stadium in 1952, 30 years From Vienna International Airport after the club was founded. Close to 68km (42 miles) away, a train to Mattersburg station, an hour from the Mattersburg (€16) requires at least capital, the Pappelstadion is surrounded one change at Wiener Neustadt, often by the poplar trees it is named after. another before then at Vienna’s main Also nearby is the railway viaduct that station (Hbf), overall journey time 1hr provides this sleepy community with 20-30min. its only recognisable landmark – apart from SVM’s green-and-white logo. Mattersburg station is close to the stadium, a slightly longer walk west The achievements of SVM, twice to the modest, walkable town centre. Austrian Cup finalists, twice European Postbus services run through the competitors, a Bundesliga outfit nearly narrow streets, past the one hotel, but every season since 2003, should not be you’ll only need public transport for underestimated. Behind this success is outlying villages. Taxi-Fleck (+43 664 Martin Pucher, founder of a local bank 515 00 88) is a reliable local service. and club owner since 1988, overseeing generous spread – and you’re only few houses along, the Café Amerika The main football hang-out amongst the club’s rise from the fifth tier to the Bed ten minutes’ walk from the stadium. puts partying first, with drinks deals all this is Pizzeria da Sergio at UEFA Cup. Burgenland Tourism (burgenland. a-plenty. No.21, a lively Balkan spot with a info) has a database of mainly rural Beer Partizan Belgrade pennant dangling On the pitch, ex-SVM player Franz accommodation. Matterburg’s single Its blue façade standing out on a The other little hub of hostelries is the beneath a shelf of clear spirits, beers Lederer was coach for a decade of near hotel is, fortunately, a decent one, central square and main thoroughfare other end of Judengasse on Michael from across former Yugoslavia – unblemished SVM progress, before the upper mid-range Florianihof Gustav Degen-Gasse, the Peacock Pub Koch-Straße. At No.39 the Café Savio Sarajevsko, Laško, Ožujsko, Jelen taking his skills across Burgenland to overlooking a main square, its is a good place to start proceedings, is café and cocktail bar open until – and a TV permanently tuned Draßburg, a town of barely 1,000 people terrace restaurant serving local Paulaner, Puntigamer, Kilkenny and Alt midnight, 2am at weekends, and a to match action. Oh, and pizzas, whose football team he took up to the specialities. All 37 rooms have Brünner Starobrno sipped in a lived-in project to offer youngsters valuable too, decent ones, served in rustic third flight in 2019. balconies and breakfast is a interior or outside on the terrace. A experience in the workplace. surroundings. Closed Tuesdays.

liberoguide.com 21 AUSTRIA 2019-20 SV Mattersburg www.liberoguide.com/sv-mattersburg

SV Mattersburg MATTERSBURG SV

The only team from Burgenland to make the Bundesliga, SV Mattersburg (web.svm-fan.net) have been tenacious in staying there. Apart from two seasons, SVM have kept pace with the Rapids of this world since 2003. During that time, they twice reached the Austrian Cup final and twice embarked on campaigns in the UEFA Cup. Things are quieter since the heyday of 2006 and 2007 but, representing a town of 7,000 people, SVM more or less hold their own.

The Pappelstadion can accommodate the local townsfolk twice over, its 15,000 capacity spread over four stands, three uncovered, with nearly 6,000 seats in Bars total. Both ends are standing terraces, From the station, on Wulkalände, the home fans in Zone A, north, nearest modest Imbiß zur Schranke sells beer Michael Koch-Straße and the SVM Cafe 20min from Wiener Neustadt. Walk back The cheapest tickets are for a standing and grilled snacks, while the sports at this end of the roofed main stand, in that direction, then right – the stadium spot behind the goals, in Zones A or C, hall to the right has its own bar. At the Zone B. Covered standing places run at spreads out to the left. If you’re coming at €18. Away fans pay €16. It’s €22 to other end of the stadium, by the pool the back, giving access to the bar, the from Mattersburg, stroll down Michael stand under cover in the main stand, on Michael Koch-Straße, Lukullus viaduct running behind on Wulkalände. Koch-Straße from the Florianihof Hotel. Zone B. Seats there cost €27. It’s has a large terrace but changes of VIP-only in Zone D (€192), where not ownership have long clouded its future. Away fans are allocated a third of the Tickets only meals are served and a large TV Similarly, the nearby 74ger Beisl south end, Zone C, nearest the main Buying on the day is the norm, with few installed, but guests get to quiz players struggles to attract non-match day stand. The clubhouse, Vereinsheim, issues over availability unless Rapid and coaching staff after the game. custom. sits behind VIP Zone D, the open stand are in town. The club sells online facing the main one. at tickets.svm.at. Each of the three Shop At the stadium, the SVM Cafe behind non-VIP stands has at least two ticket A match-day SVM Fanshop operates Zone B opens weekdays until 7.30pm, Transport offices, kassa, behind it – kassa 5 and beside the SVM Cafe, 90min before The home shirt for 2019-20 is a stripy match days and for away games, The train from Vienna requires a change 6 are for away fans. Kassa 7 is the first kick-off and 1hr after the game, plus green-and-white affair rather than beers, snacks and set lunches served at Wiener Neustadt. The stadium is a one you come to walking down from Fridays 1pm-6pm even during the plain green, the away top red with amid green-and-white souvenirs and a short walk from Mattersburg station, the train station. close season. white piping. large TV screen.

liberoguide.com 22 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Salzburg www.liberoguide.com/salzburg

and also takes care of the equally SALZBURG contemporary k6 Rooms across the street.

One block over on Fanny-von- Lehnert-Straße, the upscale Wyndham Grand Salzburg offers a heated indoor pool while across the road is the local branch of the successful German a&o chain, a hostel/budget hotel hybrid.

Beer – a bus network serves outlying The main bar hubs are a short areas, including the Red Bull Arena. A stretch of Rudolfskai between main single ticket bought on board is €2.70, Staatsbrücke and Mozartsteg Bridge; a 24-hour pass €6, €4 in advance. and further west along the river, around Anton-Neumayr-Platz. Local Bed Stiegl can be sampled near the The Salzburg Tourist Office (salzburg. station at the Corner am Bahnhof info/en) has a booking service. with its old beer ads and local regulars. There are no hotels near the stadium. At the station, the H+ Hotel Salzburg Tourist-friendly Stieglkeller on Company team FC Red Bull Salzburg the airport, at the Max-Aicher-Stadion, comprises 120 modern rooms, a spa Festungsgasse offers a panoramic Salzburg have since won ten league titles, improved for the club’s solitary and restaurant. Across the square, the beer garden. Locals flock to the breaking the Viennese monopoly and campaign of 2015-16 in the second tier. Austria Trend Hotel Europa features larger Biergarten at the 17th-century The story of football in Salzburg is one bringing managers of the quality of a panoramic restaurant. Augustiner Bräustübl Mülln on with a lot of Bull – Red Bull, in fact, Giovanni Trapattoni to sleepy Salzburg. Bearings Augustinergasse, in a monastery the Austrian energy drinks company Seeing red, hard-core fans set up SV Salzburg Airport WA Mozart is 3km Down nearby Elisabethstraße, you’ll complex with TV football. whose takeover of city flagship SV Austria Salzburg. AFC Wimbledon- (1.5 miles) west of town, linked by bus find the Hohenstauffen, a friendly, Austria Salzburg polarised local style, a moral continuation of the No.2 (every 10-20mins, journey time family-run three-star, and the Of the pubs, basement Shamrock and support and changed domestic original club formed in 1933. 20mins, €2.70) to the train station at Adlerhof, dating back to 1900. Also nearby evening-only O’Malley’s are football forever. Südtirolerplatz. A taxi (+43 6649 167 here is the old-school, affordable just over Staatsbrücke on Rudolfskai. The Red Bull Arena is at Wals- 768) should cost about €12. Pension Jahn, with WiFi in rather Deeper into the historic centre, on The takeover was more a whitewash Siezenheim west of town, near the dowdy rooms. Kaigasse, The Dubliner opens until of whatever had come before. 2005 German border. It also staged three The bus and train stations are on 2am every night. Murphy’s Law is was Year Zero – name, team colours (Greek) matches for Euro 2008. SV the other bank of the Salzach to the Across from there, the Salzburger set up on cobbled Gstättengasse and and tradition all went out the window. Austria Salzburg are further west, by historic sights. The centre is walkable Hof has been completely revamped, shows TV football.

liberoguide.com 23 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Red Bull Salzburg www.liberoguide.com/red-bull-salzburg

Red Bull Salzburg SALZBURG BULL RED

Formed in 2005, Red Bull Salzburg (redbullsalzburg.at/en) are another sporting concern backed by the Austrian energy-drink giants.

As elsewhere, Red Bull rebranded everything when they took over SV Austria Salzburg in 2005: name, badge, stadium and shirt, now white and red, all bear the corporate image. No trace of violet can be found – fans even unfurl a banner at the home end proclaiming: ‘Salzburg is and remains red and white’. behind the goal in the Nord will cost But as Casino Salzburg, the city’s you €19/€23. Standing fans, home or former top team enjoyed a successful away, pay €17/€18. Buying on the day 1990s, winning three titles and even carries a levy of €2. making a European final, rare for any Austrian club and unheard of for a Shop provincial one. On the corner of the Süd- and Osttribüne, the Red Bull Shop (Mon- After a long and messy divorce, Red With the stadium’s raised roof before kick-off. Single tickets are Tickets Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am-1pm and Bull then set about winning title after allowing views of the Alps behind, otherwise €2.70. Bus No.1 runs Tickets can be bought online match days) is a mass of RB red – as title. the Südtribüne is the home end, the every 20min from the train station, (redbullsalzburg.at/en/tickets.html) or is Red Bull World at Getreidegasse 34 lower tier for standing fans. Away via focal Hanuschplatz/Zentrum, in person from the Ticketing & Service in town. The Red Bull Arena was opened in supporters are allocated a far corner of to the stadium, 35min/25min away. Center (Mon-Fri 9am-6pm, Sat 9am- 2003 as the Wels-Siezenheim Stadion, the Nordtribüne nearest the Ostribüne, Several buses run to the nearby 1pm, not match days) behind the Bars after the area in the far west of town. the family sector set up at the opposite Europark mall – No.28, also from Osttribüne. On match days, 4hr before The Bulls’ Corner in the Westtribüne With Salzburg already chosen as a corner by the Westtribüne, behind Hanuschplatz/Zentrum, carries on to kick-off, tickets are also sold at the has plenty of TV football, daily specials Euro 2008 venue, the new owners set which you’ll find the Bulls’ Corner bar/ the stadium. Across from the mall, Hauptkassa Ost. and grilled favourites. As this becomes to work on raising the roof to add an restaurant and the Fan Park. S-Bahn station Salzburg Taxham VIP-only on match days, most gather extra tier, increasing capacity to 31,000. Europark is linked with Salzburg Seats along the sidelines in the Ost and in the Fan Park/Bullidikidz Arena, an The new ground opened in July 2007 Transport main station (line S2/S3 direction Westtribüne are €29 to €32 according open-air communal corner of football with a curtain-raising friendly between Transport is free for holders of Freilassing, every 30min, 8min to opposition. A place in the far corners and soft-play games, a grill and beer Red Bull Salzburg and Arsenal. match tickets on the day up to 6hrs journey time). of the Osttribüne or immediately terrace.

liberoguide.com 24 AUSTRIA 2019-20 St Pölten www.liberoguide.com/st-pölten

four-star in 2010, after hosting balls PÖLTENST and functions for over a century. A restaurant, bar and panoramic gym complement 136 rooms and studios.

Beer Terraces line the main square, Domplatz, but none are out-and-out bars. On adjoining Rathausplatz, the retirement of the Maglocks around Christmas 2019 has not yet led to another pub replacing their age-old Lilli’s Gastwirtschaft.

Drinking spots can be found on the narrow streets and squares nearby, such as the Hubners’ homely Taxi Blue (+43 2742 70777) can be MittnDrin on Wiener Straße, spirits booked online (taxiblue.at). specialist Yesterday on Frauenplatz and nearby MacLaren’s Pub on Linzer footballing son, born here in 1911, the Bed Straße. This lively, evening-only locale St Pölten same year that the Football Association St Pölten Tourismus (closed Sun-Mon) has a large screen of Lower Austria was founded. At 15, (stpoeltentourismus.at) has a hotel inside and décor related to cult sitcom High-profile club football in St Binder was playing for local FC Sturm database. How I Met Your Mother. Pölten, capital of Lower Austria, is a 19, a club formed just after World War contemporary phenomenon. Austrian I, and at 17, for a Lower Austria XI. He There are no hotels near the stadium By the Cityhotel, BarRock has been Cup finalists in 2014, competitors in the then moved to Rapid Vienna and would but one by the station, the neat, a music-focused late-night mainstay Austrian Bundesliga since 2016, SKN St become one of an elite group of players reliable mid-range Gasthof-Graf. since 2006. Near the station, Mein Pölten were formed as recently as 2000. to score more than 1,000 times in their Wirtshaus couldn’t be more local career. Similar in standard, the more while the main Admiral sports bar/ Part-financed by the Lower Austria traditional Stadt Hotel Hauser Eck betting shop stands behind. region, the NV Arena where they play Bearings stands the other side of the town opened in 2012, an 8,000-capacity Vienna International Airport is centre on Schulstraße, near the Over by the river in the far east of stadium surrounded by recreational 89km (55 miles) east of St Pölten. For the stadium, you’ll need public business-like four-star Metropol on town, Flieger-Bräu on Ferstlergasse lakes, a sports hall for ice hockey and An occasional direct train takes 1hr, transport run by VOR. A single ticket, Schillerplatz. is a justifiably popular pub/restaurant, lasertron, north-east of the centre. otherwise change at Vienna Hbf main pay on board, is €1.80, valid for 2hrs, bar stools lining a long counter station (1hr 15min), single €15. Sankt a day pass €3.50. The nationwide In the same family, beside the city brimming with enticing draught It stands on Bimbo-Binder-Promenade, Pölten station is on the northern edge Postbus service also passes through centre on Völklplatz, the Cityhotel options, big screens for major sports named after St Pölten’s most famous of the compact, walkable city centre. St Pölten. was converted into a design-focused nights and a beer garden.

liberoguide.com 25 AUSTRIA 2019-20 SKN St Pölten www.liberoguide.com/skn-st-pölten

Tickets PÖLTEN ST SKN The club distributes online through Ticketmaster (ticketmaster.at) and sells at the Fanshop (Wed 3pm-6.30pm, Fri noon-6.30pm) and on the day. Home and away fans pay €18 for a place in the Süd- or Nordtribüne, a seat in the sideline Osttribüne costs €24.

Shop By the Egger Fantreff, the Fanshop (Wed 3pm-6.30pm, Fri noon-6.30pm, match days) stocks away tops of white with blue trim, along with home ones of yellow/blue trim, both with open, round- neck collars.

Bars SKN St Pölten Behind the stadium, overlooking the green waters of the lake of the same Representing Lower Austria in name, the See Lounge Ratzersdorfer name and yellow-and-blue colours, is possibly the loveliest pre-match Sportklub Niederösterreich St Pölten bar in Europe. With one terrace by the (skn-stpoelten.at) were formed in the water and the other within view of the summer of 2000. floodlights, there’s no need to hurry The NV (Niederösterreichische the final, too, but only after Red Bull places and seats in the home end your refreshing Wieselburger or hearty Starting out in the fifth tier, SKN St Versicherung, ‘Lower Austria Salzburg had bagged four. Süd-Tribüne, and Nord-Tribüne where main dish. In summer, they break out Pölten had superseded the short-lived Insurance’) Arena was financed by away supporters are allocated sectors the deckchairs and DJs break beats. FCN and reasonably successful VSE, state, regional and local taxes, St It was a full house for the visit of PSV G1-G3. These adjoin the sideline Ost- Match action screened too. If you’re who had had a six-season run in the Pölten mainly contributing in the form Eindhoven in the subsequent Europa Tribüne, facing the Business-Tribüne. on a weekday stadium visit, they offer top flight from 1988. of real estate. League fixture, a creditable 3-2 defeat affordable lunches. after a 1-0 reversal in Holland. Transport SKN’s own climb to the top took 16 After its grand opening in 2012, the Bus Nos.6 and 7 run to Sportzentrum By the main entrance to the stadium years, interspersed with the club stadium only came close to filling its After promotion in 2016, St Pölten won NÖ from stops A and B of St Pölten and Fanshop, the match-day Egger abandoning the post-war Voithplatz 8,000 capacity for the Austrian Cup a satisfying relegation play-off against station every 30min each, journey time Fantreff is more an expanse of outdoor ground they had inherited from their semi-final in 2014, when a goal by local rivals Wiener Neustadt in 2018. 10-15min. The No.7 then runs one stop tables than unmissable pub but does predecessors and embracing the NV Mauritian international Gary Noël closer to the stadium, to Ratzersdorf the job and serves the beer in question, Arena, set in the lakeside recreational in extra-time saw off Sturm Graz. Family-friendly and energy-efficient, B-Binder-Promenade – this closes for brewed in Unterradlberg just north of zone of Ratzersdorf north of town. The former Millwall youth scored in the NV Arena has a mix of standing city-bound services on match days. St Pölten.

liberoguide.com 26 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Wolfsberg www.liberoguide.com/wolfsberg

Wolfsberg WOLFSBERG

Right now is probably the best time to be a football fan in Wolfsberg. Amid the bucolic holiday retreats in the Lavanttal Alps of Carinthia, closer to Maribor than Vienna, this sleepy community saw local side Wolfsberger AC reach a record third place in the Bundesliga in 2018-19.

Just as for the Europa League campaign played their only European campaign to of 2015-16, the club’s Lavanttal date, a crowd of 30,000 witnessing a 1-0 Arena is too modest to reward local defeat to Dortmund. supporters with floodlt international competition. That took took place in Bearings regional capital Klagenfurt, and the Any train from Vienna Airport and/ one in 2019-20 is set for nearby Graz. or Vienna main station to Wolfsberg But for global profile alone, WAC’s requires a change at Graz, overall achievement is a major one. Few fans journey time around 5hrs. of Dortmund, who played WAC in 2015, now confuse Wolfsberg with Wolfsburg Wolfsberg station is just west of the in Germany. town centre, served by the national Postbus network. The quickest way The club dates back to 1931 but only down to the stadium (3min) is the hourly climbed out of the regional leagues train to Wolfsberg Reding. after a loose fusion with nearby St Andrä in 2007. Once WAC gained Taxi Weber can be contacted on +43 promotion to the Bundesliga in 2012, 4352 93080. river, the Hotel Aldershoff comprises Beer real locals’ bar, late-opening, with a the co-operation ended. eight cosy rooms, four apartments and Approaching its centenary, the Brauhof terrace and occasional live music. Bed café overlooking a pretty garden, all in Franz Josef on Herrengasse has long Carinthia’s previous representatives Visit Carinthia (visitcarinthia.at) has a fine taste yet relaxed informality. been the main pub in Wolfsberg, where Over the river by Markusplatz, rock in the Bundesliga were the now hotel database for the modest lodgings house beers produced by the Moser bar Stones has six beers on draught defunct SK Austria Kärnten, bankrupt on offer in Wolfsberg. So embedded in the town centre that its brewing dynasty – Wolfsbräu Naturtrib, including Guinness and Augustiner in 2010. The club played at the same building forms part of the city walls, the Kristall and Dunkel – are served in Edelstoff. On that side, the Fortuna Wörthersee Stadion now used by A key hotel in town is the four-star three-star Torwirt on Am Weiher has four spacious, traditional-style rooms. Wett Café on Getreidemarkt allows you Austria Klagenfurt, built for Euro Hecher on Wiener Straße, with a 46 rooms, of which 26 are double, seven There’s a roof terrace and garden, to sink a beer and watch sports action 2008 after considerable political popular terrace café on the ground floor. single. Within the same complex are a too. Nearby, City Café 122 on Ernst- while locals bet, as does the Admiral machinations. This was where WAC On Bambergstraße, overlooking the pizzeria and beer shop. Swatek-Straße is a great little find, a by the Hotel Torwirt in town.

liberoguide.com 27 AUSTRIA 2019-20 Wolfsberger AC www.liberoguide.com/wolfsberger-ac WOLFSBERGER AC

the INTERSPORT store in the FMZ mall near the station.

A place, seat or terrace, costs €25 in the A running track and accoutrements Westtribüne, standing in the Osttribüne for jumping and throwing sports lend a €18. Away fans pay €20. municipal touch. A standard range of souvenirs is also sold Transport at INTERSPORT and from the club offices, Regional train S3 takes 3min to run the red-and-green RZ logo offsetting the the one stop from Wolfsberg station to white and black long worn by WAC. Reding (Wolfsberg in Ktn Reding), from where it’s a 5min walk over the tracks Bars and down Grafenhofweg to the stadium. With little else around this residential and recreational zone, thank heaven for club has got on with the business of but the stadium wouldn’t witness any As services are hourly, until about Pizzeria Ciao by the swimming pool, a Wolfsberger AC winning football matches, earning further top-class football until WAC, 9-10pm, if you’ve just missed one, smart but by no means stuffy Italian/ a highest-ever third place in the then paired up with local St Andrä, won bus No.5466 sets off from the station, Austrian restaurant with a lovely terrace. Officially going by the sponsored name Bundesliga in 2019. the second tier Erste Liga in 2011-12. taking 5min to reach Wolfsberg in Ktn Draught Zipfer and Czech Budvar, decent of RZ Pellets WAC (rzpelletswac. Stadionbad, by the nearby swimming wines and quality coffee are served, at) after a local eco-friendly form of The resultant Europa League games in Capacity was duly increased, with 1,000 pool. The No.5484 is also good but alongside a choice of 25 pizzas – there’s heating, Wolfsberger AC have been 2019-20 take place in Graz, an hour’s standing away fans accommodated other services go round the houses. also a flat-screen TV to catch the earlier the sole representatives of Carinthia in drive away. in the south-east corner behind one match. Closed Sun-Mon. the Bundesliga since 2012. Without the goal, both ends open to the elements. Tickets & shops political overtones or overambitious Communal sports ground the Lavanttal Along each sideline runs a roofed stand, Average gates barely click over 4,000 so At the ground, the Wolf’s Corner is a operations of previous teams based Arena, opened south of town in 1984, the Osttribüne and more prestigious buying on the day is the norm. Advance popular little match-day bar behind the in regional capital Klagenfurt, where holds 7,300. When the main stand was Westtribüne, with two rows of standing tickets are distributed by the club online main stand, VIPs accommodated in the WAC played their debut European built in 1988, Austria played an Olympic areas in one and a small back terrace by through QTIXX (qtixx.com) or from the Wolf’s Lounge overlooking the pitch in campaign in 2015-16, this friendly little qualifying game here with Finland, the VIP zone in the other. office at the stadium, as well as from the Westtribüne.

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