Brothers face off in the "Battle of Austria"
Felix Pahl
This Sunday, the Vienna Vikings and the Raiders Tirol will meet for the second time this season in the famous "Battle of Austria" (Sunday, 16:25 CET). But this game is more than just a rivalry between two teams - it’s also a special family affair. Lucky Ogbevoen from the Vikings and his brother Precious Ogbevoen from the Raiders Tirol will be on opposite sides of the field.
No hard feelings, just family
For both brothers, this matchup is exciting, but it doesn’t change how they feel about each other.
"It’s really special because there’s not a lot of people who can play against their brother on the highest level here in Europe", said Lucky Ogbevoen. "Nevertheless, it’s just a game for us individually. We’re trying to win the game, of course. But it’s still funny and exciting to play against my brother."
Precious shares the same feeling: "To be honest, we don’t really make it a family rivalry. We have both played for both teams. When we see each other on the field, it’s like when we were younger, and I will always try to compete to the best of our ability."
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Focus on the team, not personal stats
Both players agree that the most important goal is for their team to win - not personal glory.
"I would say personal goals are before the season even starts. I’m not a personal goal-oriented guy. I put the team before me", explained Lucky.
Precious added: "I don’t have personal goals. The only goal I care about is to win!"
A different kind of week
Even though they are brothers, there’s still some teasing and friendly competition between them.
"There’s always a little teasing. You know how brothers are", said Lucky. "We’re just trying to get the best out of each other. Even though we’re on opposite teams, we’re always challenging each other."
Lucky is also looking forward to spending some family time in Innsbruck. "I don’t have enough time during the season to go to Innsbruck. So that’s going to be a great week for me, just spending time with my niece."
Raiders want to end the streak
The Vienna Vikings have won all seven previous matchups against the Raiders Tirol in the ELF. However, Precious and his team are determined to change that.
"The Battle of Austria is an intense battle, and of course we are aware of our record against Vienna", said Precious. "But we don’t focus on the past. We are not the same team we were the last time we faced off. We are getting better every day and focusing on us."
Sunday’s game will show whether the Raiders can finally end the Vikings’ winning streak - or if Lucky Ogbevoen and his team will continue their dominance in Austria’s biggest football rivalry.
