LASK to face Bodo/Glimt or Dinamo Zagreb/Viking Stavanger in Champions League play-off

The draw contained numerous illustrious names from European football. Seeded clubs included, among others, FC Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, FC Liverpool, Inter Milan, Manchester City, FC Arsenal, FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, AS Roma, Sporting Lisbon, Aston Villa, FC Porto, Manchester United, Club Brugge, Betis Sevilla, PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord Rotterdam, OSC Lille, SSC Napoli, RB Leipzig, FC Villarreal, Fenerbahce and Olympique Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk, Galatasaray, VfB Stuttgart as well as Como 1907. A clash with one of these heavyweights is therefore not possible for the LASK.

Other candidates in comparable paths include Slovan Bratislava or NK Celje, Levski Sofia or AEK Athens, as well as Sabah FK. These clubs are also still active in the qualifying phase and must first clear their hurdles before the LASK is called upon for the decisive play-off duels.

Overview of other possible opponents

The overview also shows that Celtic Glasgow is seeded in its own path. This creates several parallel strands, all of which are still to be settled via qualifying and play-off rounds to determine the upcoming Champions League season.

For the team from Linz, the draw means above all: predictability with an open ending. Once Dinamo Zagreb and Viking Stavanger determine their winner, the LASK will know who awaits them in the play-off. Until then, the team is preparing for either a Norwegian or a Croatian opponent.

Coach Didi Kühbauer had struck a notably matter-of-fact tone ahead of the draw. Man nehme den Gegner, wie er komme, was the message from those close to the Linz club. The squad is said to possess sufficient quality to hold its own even against clubs less familiar on the international stage, according to assessments within the club's circles.

Behind the scenes at the LASK, logistical preparations are in full swing. The home and away fixtures must be organised on schedule, along with travel planning and squad questions. Should Bodo/Glimt turn out to be the opponent, the trip to northern Norway would be a particular logistical challenge.

Significance for club and business

The financial significance of Champions League participation is enormous for the LASK. Participation in the play-offs alone brings the club relevant prize money from the UEFA pot. A place in the group stage would push these revenues up considerably further and expand the financial room for manoeuvre when it comes to transfers and infrastructure.

Should the club manage to reach the premier competition, it would be a historic moment for the club. The LASK last played in the European Champion Clubs' Cup — the predecessor of the Champions League — back in the 1970s. Reaching the group stage again would elevate the club internationally to a new level and further boost the brand awareness of the LASK.

The tension ahead of the upcoming round is palpable. Fans and observers are watching the results of the previous matches with bated breath before the LASK knows its concrete opponent. The draw in Nyon has set the course — now the Linz side must take the decisive step themselves.

Outlook on possible group-stage fixtures

At the LASK, confidence is high that the team can seize the opportunity. Experience from previous European campaigns and the squad's grown international quality speak, in the club's view, in favour of success in the play-off. Should they manage it, the LASK could from next autumn face clubs such as FC Bayern Munich, Real Madrid or Manchester City — provided these sides come through their own paths.

Austrian football can look forward to an exciting autumn regardless of the outcome. Following the elimination of Sturm Graz and Austria Wien, the LASK is the only remaining domestic club in elite European qualification. The eyes of the country's football fans are therefore on Linz, who are now the last remaining Austrian hope of a Champions League place.