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Vienna derby without rivals: mood killer or departure for Austria?
In the 344th Vienna derby on February 16, 2025, Austria will face Rapid without away fans. The focus is on tension and rivalry.
Vienna derby without rivals: mood killer or departure for Austria?
In the 344th Vienna derby on Sunday, a historic game will take place without away fans. This is the first derby in ten years where Rapid supporters are not allowed to be in the stadium. Austria therefore appears with clear support from its own fans, which clearly influences the mood. But the joy about it is clouded; Banners in the fan zone demand the real derby spirit and criticize the current situation. A banner reads: “Today is not a real derby!” as krone.at reported.
As previously communicated, this derby follows the violent riots between fan groups in September 2024, which resulted in injuries and a large number of reports. This has led to the decision to open the next derbies only to home fans. This creates a particularly tense atmosphere, as there could apparently be “sleepers” among the spectators who try to appear in the stadium unnoticed. The Rapid coach, Robert Klauß, expressed concern about the lack of away fans: “We will see on Sunday how big the disadvantage will be,” said the coach, who emphasized that the support of his supporters is urgently needed.
Sporty explosiveness and emotional intensity
In terms of sport, the duel between Austria, who are second in the table and six points ahead of Rapid in fourth place, will be extremely explosive. The Rapidlers are fighting to stay at the top of the table, while the Violets have self-confidence and the will to make amends after their last defeats in the league. At a press conference in the town hall, Mayor Michael Ludwig (SPÖ) spoke of a “nice sign” that the derby would be played on an equal footing and with fairness, as sn.at reported.
Austria has a remarkable home record at the Generali Arena - they are still unbeaten there this season. On the other hand, Rapid is lagging behind its own expectations with a long spell of away defeats in the derby. “Everyone is really excited about it,” said Austria coach Stephan Helm, who is looking forward to a large crowd of over 15,000 spectators. However, there are a few absences, including the suspended Matteo Perez Vinlöf, which further increases the challenge for both teams.