Rapid Vienna vs Red Bull Salzburg Predictions

Rapid Vienna have been handed a very tough opening game to the new Bundesliga season as they prepare to play host to the reigning champions RB Salzburg on Friday. Both teams had big wins in the cup so head into Friday’s match with plenty of confidence, and last season Rapid Vienna beat Salzburg in the corresponding fixture, despite finishing way behind their rivals in the table.

Rapid Vienna thrashed Allerheiligen in the cup on Sunday, scoring three times before the halftime interval through Murg, Hofmann, and Dibon. Fountas added a fourth goal nine minutes after the restart and teammates Knasmullner and Schwab both scored to make it 6-0 by the sixty-seventh minute. Murg helped himself to another goal in the seventy-third minute before the hosts got their one and only goal of the game, making it 7-1 heading into the final ten minutes. Barac netted two minutes from time and Arase got in on the action in stoppage time to wrap up a thumping 9-1 victory for Rapid Vienna.

Salzburg made the trip to Parndorf in the cup last week and lead 3-0 at the break thanks to goals from Minamino, Haland, and Farkas. Early in the second half, Daka made it 4-0 and Farkas added a fifth shortly after, and Parndorf pulled a goal back in the seventy-first minute. Haland netted twice in the final seventeen minutes to secure the match ball and make the final score 7-1 to the Bundesliga champions.

The recent head to head record between these two sides, their form and performances heading into Friday’s game, and their standings in the Bundesliga last season, all point towards a win for Salzburg and a good chance we will see both teams score and over 2.5 goals. RB Salzburg finished seven places and 28 points ahead of Rapid Vienna in the Bundesliga last season. The visitors have won five of their last six matches against Rapid Vienna and both teams scored and over 2.5 goals were produced in three of the last six meetings between the two clubs. Four of Rapid Vienna’s last five and two of RB Salzburg’s last three matches have seen both teams score and over 2.5 goals, which is why we’re backing the visitors to claim a 3-2 win on Friday.

Last season’s top scorer in the Bundesliga, Moanes Dabour with 20 goals, has left RB Salzburg for Sevilla but Koita and Haland have been brought in to hopefully replace the Israeli’s goals. Rapid Vienna will be hoping that Schobesberger and Badji can form partnership up-front that’s good enough for the club to challenge for a top-half finish this season. We’re confident that RB Salzburg will win on Friday and have predicted a final scoreline of 3-2. The champions have looked strong in pre-season and dominated the Bundesliga last time out and despite losing their top striker, the singing of Haland has their fans excited for the upcoming campaign.