- Details
- Tuesday, November 12, 2024 11:52 am
The SKN St. Pölten footballers are facing a mammoth task this evening in the Spanish metropolis, including representatives (?) from Upper Austria; The LIGAPORTAL wanted to find out from assistant coach Lisa Alzner the psychological state of a player and her attitude to such a challenge:
Today it takes “outstanding” defensive work from ex-Lask star Tea Krznaric against the big favorites! (Photo credit: LASK)
LIGAPORTAL: Lisa, you are the head coach in the Future League, but you also work for St. Pölten’s “First”?
Lisa Alzner: “Exactly, I’m still an assistant coach for the Bundesliga team. So I’m basically filling out a “double role!”
When a game against such a “high-caliber team” like FC Barcelona is imminent, are the players' anticipation of the big event or the fear of exposing themselves?
“The anticipation of the big event definitely prevails. Of course we know that we are facing one of the best teams in the world in Barcelona, but we already showed in the group phase game against Manchester City (2:3) how close such games can still be. Everyone will give their all and we will try to play bravely.
If fear gets out of hand, what tools does the coach/supervisor have to counteract it?
“To point out: everyone in our team believes in us as a team and the players know that too. Nobody from the outside expected the close 2:3 against Manchester City and we showed what is possible on good days. This gives us a tailwind and we will not allow ourselves to be intimidated this time either.”
To what extent can an actor prepare for the unfamiliar, significantly larger audience?
“I am sure that every player on the field will be elated when hopefully a large number of spectators are reached. We are also looking forward to the second leg next week in Vienna and hope that many supporters will find their way to the stadium there too.”
Does it help to consider that you actually can't lose anything against an “overpowering” opponent and that you can share this “fate” with other teams?
“We know we're going into the game as underdogs, but we're sticking with ourselves. What other teams do against Barcelona before or after us is not important to us.”
Can the “home advantage” really stand up to the favorites, or does the higher quality prevail in any case and under all circumstances?
“As the saying goes: “every game starts at 0-0”. If we give our full performance, we'll see what happens.”
Thank you for your assessment and good luck for the “Games of the Year”!
The prominent opponents in brief:
The FC Barcelona women's team won the UEFA Women Champions League in 2021, 2023 and 2024 and also reached the finals in 2019 and 2022. In 2023 they won the Ballon d'Or as Team of the Year 2023. The Catalans had the “World Footballers” Lieke Martens (2017), Alexia Putellas (2021, 2022), Aitana Bonmatí (2023) and the Laureus World Athlete of the Year 2024 with Aitana Bonmatí (2024).
Numerous failures among the Austrians
As was recently reported, some team members are unavailable due to illness, including ÖFB international Claudia Wenger from Ortisei. Perhaps it is not a disadvantage for the Austrian champions that the game is being staged in front of a “smaller backdrop”.
and Leonarda Balog no further supports are available. In addition, the use of Slovenian team player Izabela Krizaj is “very questionable”.
FC Barcelona (ESP)– start SKN St. Pölten Rush,
Tuesday, 6.45 p.m., Estadi Johan Cruyff (capacity: 6,000 spectators).
Helmut Pichler
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