Hans Krankl played for FC Barcelona between 1978 and 1980 and scored 45 goals in 61 games. The highlight was the final victory against Düsseldorf in the European Cup Winners' Cup, in which Krankl scored a goal. That's why the “Goleador” is still considered a club legend in Catalonia today. Toni Polster drew attention with goals against Barcelona. During his time at Sevilla FC and Rayo Vallecano, he scored a total of six goals against the 27-time Spanish champions between 1988 and 1993.
The two legends passed these experiences on to the SKN St. Pölten players. “You have to have confidence in yourself, then anything is possible against any team in the world,” Polster encouraged the outsiders. Austria's champions are still without points in the Champions League after two defeats, and Barcelona recently caused a stir with a 9-0 win against Hammarby from Sweden. The Barcelona women's football team was founded in 2002 and has since won the Champions League three times.
ORF
“Which one of you is the striker?” In conversation with the SKN players, Hans Krankl was particularly interested in the offensive department. Melanie Brunnthaler clearly enjoyed the exchange with Austria's top scorer legend. “You can tell how much Hans’ heart is still with FC Barcelona. It would be cool if I could score a goal against this big club.” Brunnthaler recently drew attention with a goal in the narrow 2-3 defeat against Manchester City.
Winning points would be a “huge sensation”
Despite all the love for Barcelona, Krankl is certain that he will keep his fingers crossed for the SKN on Tuesday. “I'm a patriot and you should always stick with the outsider. That's why my heart beats for St. Pölten in this game.” Toni Polster also hopes for a sense of success for Austria's series champions, even if “a point win for the SKN would be a huge sensation.”
The “mental training” was a perfect introduction to FC Barcelona for the players. “It was a cool experience to talk to these legends and hear how they experienced the atmosphere around FC Barcelona back then. “That increases our anticipation for the game on Tuesday,” agreed the two defensive players Ella Touon and Chiara D’Angelo.
