Rapid Vienna – Hartberg: preview
We discuss the predictions for the match between Rapid Vienna and Hartberg in the ninth round of the Austrian league 2026/27.
Leader Rapid will host the daring Hartberg, who has not lost in a while and is approaching the top quarter.
Key moments
Rapid Vienna
1. Rapid maintains supremacy in the Bundesliga
In eight league rounds, the team has committed only one mistake: although the defeat to Salzburg at the beginning of September was painful, Rapid launched itself with a 1:5 score. However, after that the team won four consecutive matches, including the Austrian Cup, and the first three victories were decisive.
The last match against LASC was a bit more complicated, but even as visitors against the current champion, Rapid survived without major problems: they scored two unanswered goals in the second half, extending their goal‑free streak to three matches (over 310 minutes). The team earned 21 points out of 24 possible, and with this result they lead the table solo. The gap with the nearest pursuer widened to three points.
2. The squad can stay unchanged
Rapid has just won confidently against its rival, avoiding new injuries or suspensions: Johan Torko has no reason for squad changes. Clodi Mbuyi, the scorer of the second goal against LASC, could be considered, but the forward will probably get more playing time, while a debut remains unlikely.
3. Rapid has high efficiency – especially at home
The team scores in every match of the season, regardless of the competition. The winning streak continues in 16 games. In more than half of the cases, Rapid gave opponents at least three goals, with an average of 3.12 goals per 90 minutes. At home, the figures can be alarming: for example, Rapid netted six goals against Santa Coloma in the Conference League, and in a league match against Grazer eight goals were recorded immediately. At the same time, strictly in the Bundesliga, three of four matches were goalless. The only goal conceded was to Sturm. Therefore, Rapid has not lost points – it even won the match against Althaus, where it managed only one goal scored.
Hartberg
1. Hartberg is not falling behind, six consecutive matches
Although the season started very hard: the team debuted confidently in the Austrian Cup, but in the league it began with three defeats – all goalless. Then Hartberg recovered, earning 11 points out of 15 possible in the next five Bundesliga rounds – the second result alongside Salzburg, only surpassed by Rapid (12).
Yes, in that stretch there was a relatively pleasant schedule, but Hartberg also earned points in the game against LASC (3:3) – although during the match it lost 0:2 and 1:3. And recently it secured a valuable victory against Austria Lustenau (4:3). Thanks to Hartberg’s personality, they share fifth place in the table.
2. Radulovic must debut in the starting lineup
The exit from the first minute was already expected in the last round – it seemed that the dream debut in the match against LASC (2+1 for extra time) would automatically give him a place at the start. However, recently Radulovic only had half an hour – and still managed to show himself again, assisting in the episode with the winning goal.
The Montenegrin performed four effective actions in 75 minutes, and now he faces the club that loaned him to Hartberg – keeping a so motivated player on the bench is useless.
3. Hartberg is also effective in attack, but lacks balance
The team stayed silent in the first three Bundesliga rounds, but after that it consistently scored at least two goals per match. In total, in the last five matches Hartberg scored 14 goals – the best performance in the tournament. Even Rapid seemed more modest (12), but compensated with reliable defensive play – although in Salzburg it was painful, in the other four matches it only conceded one goal.
Hartberg has not yet played without goals, and over time mistakes only increase. In the last two matches it let three goals slip, and in total since the start of the season 16 goals have been scored – nothing more than any other club.
Approximate lineups
4-2-3-1 4-2-1-4 2-1-1-7
Hedl 38
Horn 6
Raue 55
Cvetković 77
Bolla 30
Bajlicz 18
Zaidl 10
Dahl 8
Adamson 22
Demi 9
Kara 91
Pech 16
Dalpiaz 27
Schopp 14
Komposch 12
Pfeifer 49
Radulovic 4
Markus 5
Diarra 11
Drew 7
Gattermayer 22
Hoffmann
Trend predictions
In four of the last six encounters between Rapid and Hartberg both teams scored. OZ – yes at 1.72.
Hartberg is not falling behind, more than one goal in seven games against Rapid. F2 (+1.5) at 1.95.
Prediction
Rapid Vienna vs Hartberg 16.10.2026 21:30
During the long break, Rapid did not lose form. Recently it faced LASC with confidence, beating the champion at home with a 2:0 score. It is the fourth consecutive win in all competitions. The team did not achieve a crushing victory, but extended its goalless streak to three matches. In the Bundesliga it earned 21 points out of 24 possible – the only drop, although painful, occurred as visitors against Salzburg. Rapid occupies first place, and also leads in goals scored (23).
Hartberg is also on the move: it has not suffered defeats in six consecutive games, including the Austrian Cup, and four encounters in that period were victories. In the last five league rounds, the team scored even more than Rapid, but the leader stands out for the balance between attack and defense – Hartberg has problems in this. Defensive mistakes only increase over time – Rapid will surely take advantage of opportunities and gain more than three points.
Prediction: 3-1
