The opposition lowdown: LASK
Here is all you need to know about LASK before they host Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday evening.
Season so far
The Austrian side were beaten 1-0 away at AEK Athens in their league-phase opener last month.
They secured their spot in the competition proper by producing an incredible comeback against Celtic in a play-off, winning the tie 5-4 on aggregate after losing the first leg 3-0.
Domestically, Dietmar Kuhbauer's men sit third in the Austrian Bundesliga having been beaten 2-0 by leaders Rapid Wien last weekend.
"Austrian football is having a bit of a renaissance at club level, and Didi Kuhbauer is one of a number of really good coaches that are there," said European football writer Andy Brassell, on LFCTV show Press Box.
"The way they came back from that bad first leg at Celtic – when they lost 3-0 but really they played much better than that result would suggest – and dug in to get it done, especially after going a goal down in the second leg as well, was really, really impressive."
Ones to watch
Christoph Lang has produced 12 goal involvements (10 goals, two assists) in his 13 appearances in all competitions so far this season.
The 24-year-old forward received his first two senior caps for Austria during the recent round of international fixtures, getting on the scoresheet against Kosovo.
Meanwhile, Brassell added of attacker Samuel Adeniran: "He scored a couple of the goals in that second leg against Celtic and was really brilliant in that.
"He came over to what is now the Steven Gerrard Academy when he was 16. That was before he was in the professional game but that clearly lit the fire under him.
"So, for him to be here now as a pro, playing in the Champions League and being able to take on Liverpool – where he came with all those dreams when he was 16 years old – is a massive, massive moment for him."
Team news
Injuries forced George Bello and Moses Usor off during the second half of the loss to Rapid Wien.
Ramiz Harakate tore his anterior cruciate ligament in July and remains out.
Previous meetings
The clubs were paired with each other in the group stage of the 2023-24 Europa League.
Liverpool won 3-1 on their previous visit to Raiffeisen Arena with goals from Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Mohamed Salah, after a 14th-minute opener for the hosts.
Cody Gakpo bagged a double in the return fixture as Jürgen Klopp's Reds ran out 4-0 winners.
What they said
Kasper Jorgensen, LASK defender
"It's the biggest game for me at this time in my career. It's going to be nice to play against them. I expect that it's going to be a tough game. We believe in our team, we believe that we can get a good result at the end. We have to wait and we have to see after 90 minutes what the score is, but everything can happen."
Pre-match stats
LASK are the fifth Austrian club to feature in the Champions League proper, after Red Bull Salzburg, Sturm Graz, Rapid Wien and Austria Wien.
They have lost only two of their last 16 home European matches (won seven, drawn seven).
LASK are without a win in their last nine group-stage/league-phase fixtures in Europe.
Their record in six games against English opposition is one draw and five defeats; at home it is drawn one and lost two, with four goals scored and 11 conceded.
