Ried celebrates sensational promotion to the Bundesliga after a 4-1 win!

Ried celebrates sensational promotion to the Bundesliga after a 4-1 win!

SV Guntamatic Ried celebrated promotion back to the Bundesliga after a convincing 4-1 win against Bregenz. This happened on Friday in the penultimate round of the 2nd league, after a two-year absence. Managing Director Sport Wolfgang Fiala describes the mood after the decisive game as emotional and relieved. “We took this path together and made it happen,” said Fiala.
The newsreports that the championship celebration will take place next Sunday after the home game against Vienna, which is already sold out. The game starts at 5 p.m. and the celebration will take place on the lawn of the Innviertel Arena.

Under the leadership of coach Maximilian Senft, who trained the team before relegation in 2023, the club pursued a clear promotion goal this season. After a strong start to the season with five wins in a row, the team went through a critical phase with three defeats in five games, which allowed Admira Wacker to temporarily overtake them. In the 27th round, however, Ried took back the lead in the table and did not relinquish it until the end of the season.
The presshighlights that Ried is one of only three clubs that were promoted straight back to the Bundesliga at the second attempt.

Season progress and team performance

The season was characterized by ups and downs. While Ried initially established himself as the favorite in the promotion race, the weak phase brought some critical voices from outside. Fiala said that the criticism was severe at times and sees the promotion as a satisfaction. The team's top performers, including goalkeeper Andreas Leitner and central defender Michael Sollbauer, contributed significantly to the success. Offensive player Ante Bajic scored a remarkable nine goals and six assists this season.

Coach Senft, who has also worked as an assistant coach and video analyst in the Bundesliga and in England in the past, is expected to remain in Ried. Those responsible are already planning for the coming Bundesliga season, in which the core of the team should be retained, while reinforcements are also in prospect. Discussions with players and employees are already being planned. However, Fiala's contract extension has not yet been signed and discussions are pending.

Ried's return to the Bundesliga

SV Ried has an eventful past in the Bundesliga, including successful seasons between 1995 and 2003 and from 2005 to 2017. The greatest successes include the ÖFB Cup victories in 1998 and 2011 as well as second place in the Bundesliga in the 2006/07 season. The Admira Wacker coach described Ried as a “deserved newcomer,” which underlines the team’s achievements and sweetens their return to the Bundesliga.