The Linzer Athletik Sport Klub (LASK) wrote one of the most surprising chapters in recent European football. On Sunday, the Linz side beat Austria Vienna 3-0 away to win the Austrian Bundesliga – its first national title in 61 years. Just two weeks earlier, the club had already lifted the Austrian Cup by defeating Altach in the final, sealing a historic double.
The turnaround began in October, when LASK occupied second-to-last place and was fighting relegation. It was in that scenario that Didi Kühbauer, former Real Sociedad coach, took over. In eight months, he transformed the team into champions. “We achieved something utopian. Today we are allowed to exaggerate – if my liver hurts tomorrow, let it hurt,” said Kühbauer, visibly emotional, during the celebration with fans in Linz. “Whatever you don’t drink, I’ll drink,” he added in a relaxed tone.
Captain Sascha Horvath, a midfielder, summed up the feat: “It’s a miracle. We were sinking. I don’t know what he did differently, but it was him, Kühbauer.” Horvath called the day “the most beautiful” of his career. Another standout was striker Sasa Kalajdzic, on loan from Wolverhampton, who established himself as an offensive reference. “Coming here was the best thing for me. What we achieved is incredible,” he said.
Defensive solidity, led by Panamanian defender Andrés Andrade, was the foundation of Kühbauer’s system. The title also opens financial doors: LASK secured a spot in the Champions League playoff and, if it does not advance, will have a guaranteed place in the Europa League group stage. “The important thing is that we now have security to plan. The goal, naturally, is the Champions League,” the coach projected.
The players’ reception in Linz, after the awards ceremony in Vienna, brought together thousands of fans in a festive atmosphere that lasted into the early hours.