LIVE LASK UNION. Amoura quickly lands badly on the shoulder, but he can continue | Jupiler Pro League

For the second time in this first half, a long ball from Moris simply ends up over the sideline.

We note the first goal attempt – and it comes from the home team. Mustapha can put his head against the ball, but the header lacks power. Moris picks easily.

Amoura takes a high ball out of the air, but that’s all he can do with it. Eckert Ayensa picks up and scores another corner kick. However, that yields nothing.

The damage seems to not be too bad for Amoura, because the painful grimace disappears from his face and he returns to the field. Relief from the people of Brussels, without a doubt.

Amoura is tackled to the ground on the edge of the sixteen. The referee sees no fault in it, but that is the least of Union’s worries. Aoura lands badly on the right shoulder and remains down.

We are still waiting for opportunities, because LASK and Union are mainly fighting in midfield. We haven’t seen really flowing combinations yet.

Moris looks for Mac Allister on the sideline, but the pass is not good enough and blows out of the field.

The ball rolls in the Raiffeisen Arena! Can Union secure European wintering?

Union Saint-Gilloise can (certainly) secure third place in its group – and therefore European wintering – in Linz tonight. Good for the reputation and for the bank account. “For the first time, we will close the financial year on a positive note.”

“We want second place.” Philippe Bormans got straight to the point at Brussels Airport. Overtaking Liverpool also seems impossible to him. The English have won everything so far and there is a real chance that it will continue to do so. “Do you know what the big advantage is with us? We want to win everything. Whether in the cup, the league or Europe. That is our strength.”

Furthermore, no platitudes with Bormans, he was ‘to the point’. “We certainly cannot lose in Linz.” If it does, the Austrians will come back within one point and with another match in Toulouse and a match against Liverpool in Anderlecht…

Union’s CEO must have done the math by now. If you win in Austria, 1.48 million euros – 630,000 euros for the victory, 550,000 euros for at least qualifying for the jump-off place – can be credited to the account.

That would bring the total for the current season to €7.27 million. For comparison: last season the Europa League raised just over ten million euros for the people of Brussels. “That was also necessary,” says Bormans. “We suffered losses during the first four seasons under the new owners. Big losses, even. The first year in 1A was also difficult because we had to pay out a lot of bonuses. The ‘profits’ only came last year, through our story in Europe. And now we will close the financial year on a positive note for the first time. (laughs) That’s important if we want to keep growing, right? And if we want a new stadium.” For the time being, however, it remains politically calm around this.

Amoura
But the new financial situation that Union is gradually finding itself in also allows the club to invest in new players. To take out the wallet every now and then. Think of the four million euros they paid for Mohammed Amoura in the summer. A transfer amount that they would never have been able to cough up in the past.

A lot is expected of the Algerian again in Linz. He is the man in form. However, his shoulder injury is not yet completely a thing of the past. But: “I have a good feeling,” said Alexander Blessin in Austria. “We have to see if he will be seventy, eighty or ninety percent. Nothing that can’t be solved with painkillers. I certainly hope he can play.”

With him all of Union. Because LASK showed two weeks ago in Brussels that it is a tough team. With high pressing, good football players, dangerous attackers. Blessin: “We’ll see how they will handle it later. Do they start again with a lot of energy or do they wait a bit? We are well prepared for their way of playing. And we will try to come up with solutions. Don’t forget: they have to win. It’s actually their last chance. ‘They have to deliver’. If we play at 100 percent, I am convinced that we can get points.”

Stay true to playing style
Blessin has no plans to change his playing style. On the contrary. “You know me, right? It is always important to rely on your own strengths. It is not for us to suddenly play defensive football. (thinks) Maybe at the end when we have to play on the result. But otherwise…”

In any case, Union can gain certainty about European wintering in Linz. If it is not second place – there are still two matches to be played afterwards – then third place. Good for the sporting honor, the treasury and the future of the club.

He trained with the group in Linz yesterday. But the question at Union is whether Mohammed Amoura will kick off later. He is struggling with the shoulder that has still not recovered one hundred percent. It would not be surprising if the Algerian attacker starts on the bench and that Blessin starts the match with one striker – Eckert Ayensa or Rodriguez. This way the German can strengthen his midfield against the energetic Austrians. Amoura could then make the difference as a super sub. (FDZ)

They are not as numerous as in Liverpool a month ago. But Union can still count on the support of around two hundred fans in Linz tonight. They traveled to Austria in recent days. By plane – there are no direct flights from our country – or by train. The Raiffeisen Arena can accommodate just over 19,000 fans.

Also this. Union will travel back to Belgium late tonight. (FDZ)

He was looking relaxed in Austria. Joking with Dennis Eckert Ayensa – the German is completely fit again. It remains to be seen whether he will start in the starting line-up tonight.

But Blessin is also afraid of tomorrow night’s opponent. LASK showed itself to be a strong opponent two weeks ago in Brussels. High pressing, dangerous attacks. “We’ll see how they will handle it later. Do they start again with a lot of energy or do they wait a bit? We are well prepared for their way of playing. And we will try to come up with solutions. Don’t forget: they have to win. It’s actually their last chance. ‘They have to deliver’. But if we play at 100 percent, I am convinced that we can get points.”

Blessin has no plans to change his playing style. On the contrary. “You know me, right? It is always important to rely on your own strengths. It is not for us to suddenly play defensive football. (Thinks) Maybe at the end when we have to play on the result. But otherwise…”

It is still unclear whether he can count on Amoura. “I have a good feeling about it. We’ll see how he feels at seventy, eighty or ninety percent. If he plays, it will probably be with painkillers.” (FDZ)