Austria Vienna Star Acknowledges Beitar Jerusalem's Superiority Ahead of Conference League Clash

Beitar Jerusalem is set to face Austria Vienna on Thursday in Ploiești, Romania, during the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League. The matchup has sparked differing opinions within Austria Vienna about which team holds the advantage. Coach Stefan Helm, following a 3-1 home victory over Latvia's Liepāja with a rotated squad, described his team as roughly equal to Beitar and called the upcoming match a worthy challenge. However, Reinhold Ranftl, a veteran midfielder aged 34 who played during Austria Vienna's 4-0 defeat to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the Conference League group stage four years ago, disagrees. Ranftl stated that Beitar Jerusalem is currently a level above Austria Vienna and emphasized the importance of focusing on the domestic league, calling European competition a bonus.

Austria Vienna will open their league season on Sunday against Wolfsberger, fielding their first-choice lineup and aiming to give their all. The team is hopeful that veteran defender Aleksandar Dragović will recover in time from a head injury sustained recently. Dragović participated as a substitute in the first leg against Liepāja but was rested for the second leg. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Jonas Pedersen, on loan from Borussia Dortmund, has continued to fill in effectively, scoring his first goal for Austria Vienna. Coach Helm praised Pedersen's reliability, left-footed skill, height (1.94 meters), and willingness to take risks, noting he has exceeded expectations.