The Violets were founded in 1911 and are currently seventh in the Austrian league
Villarreal CF face Austria Wien this Thursday in the third game of the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage (9pm CEST, Ciutat de València). The Submarine are currently top of the group with six points, while the Austrian side are fourth, with one point.
The Violets were founded in 1911 and their currently chairman is German Frank Hensel. They play their home matches at the Viola Park stadium in Vienna, which has a capacity of 17,656. FK Austria Wien are coached by Austrian manager Manfred Schmid and boast the likes of attacking midfielder Aleksander Jukic and right winger Andreas Gruber, both of whom have been the team’s top scorers this season, with six goals each.
The Austrians, who finished third in the Austrian Bundesliga in the 2021/22 season, behind RB Salzburg and Sturm Graz, have secured their place in the group stage in European competition for the first time in five years. Last season, the Austrian side only played one tie: a knockout round against Icelandic side Breidablik (1-1 at home, 2-1 away) in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa Conference League. In the 2022/23 season, Austria Wien are seventh in their domestic league with 12 points from ten league games.
The Violets also lost their only play-off this season, as Schmid’s side were defeated in the UEFA Europa League play-offs against Fenerbahçe (0-2 at home, 4-1 away), a result that saw them placed in the UEFA Europa Conference League group stage. It is the club from Vienna’s ninth participation in a European group stage and their first since 2017/18, when they finished bottom of their UEFA Europa League group behind AC Milan, AEK Athens and Rijeka. They have failed to progress from their last seven group stage appearances. Their only success came in 2004/05, when they reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Cup.
Previous meetings with Austrian opposition
This is the first meeting between the two clubs in UEFA competition. Villarreal’s record in ten previous matches against Austrian opposition is six wins, one draw and three defeats. They have not lost in their last five, four of which have been wins, including both matches in the 2020/21 UEFA Europa League Round of 32 tie against Salzburg (0-2 away, 2-1 at home) on their way to the title.
Austria Wien’s record against Spanish sides
Austria Wien have only beaten Spanish opposition twice in 20 attempts (seven draws and 11 defeats). In Spain, their record is one victory, two draws and seven defeats, with the 1-2 win in Bilbao against Athletic Club in the last 32 of the 2004/05 UEFA Cup, their only victory. Their last five matches against LaLiga teams, three of them in Spain, have resulted in five defeats.
