VorwartsVorwarts Steyrvs.QPRQueens Park Rangers

The R's will be looking to build their fitness following seven days abroad, while Vorwarts are in the process of preparing for third-tier football after relegation from the Austrian second division last term.

Match preview

Vorwarts Steyr continue their pre-season schedule after a disappointing 2022-23 term, which ended in relegation from the second division of Austrian football on the final day.

Steyr needed a result at Admira Moedling in their last match on June 4, but goals from Lukas Malicsek, George Davies and Patrick Schmidt condemned the visitors at the Motion invest Arena to a bottom-three finish.

Daniel Madelener's men would have ended up in sixth if the division was decided purely on home from, but their inability to collect points on the road means they were relegated alongside Rapid Wien II and Austria Wien II.

Vorwarts have been in action already this pre-season against fellow Austrian side Amstetten, with the second-tier club coming out on top at the full-time whistle by a scoreline of 2-1.

QPR will bring their week in Austria to a close at the LIWEST Arena on Saturday afternoon, with the R's having already dusted off the cobwebs with a fixture last weekend.

Gareth Ainsworth's men were welcomed back to first-team action with a tricky clash against Slavia Prague, and with a couple more weeks of training under their belt, the Czechs were able to earn a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Lukas Provod, Oscar Dorley and Mick van Buren hit the goals for Prague, giving the Championship R's an insight into the levels required to compete regularly in European football.

The West Londoners will not be too disheartened by their loss to a club who played in the Europa Conference League last term - the aim this season for QPR will just be to distance themselves from any sort of relegation scrap in the second tier of English football.

Following the departure of former manager Michael Beale to Scottish giants early on in the campaign, the Loftus Road club's form fell off a cliff, with a decent end to the term sparing the club from League One football.

Vorwarts Steyr friendly form:

Queens Park Rangers friendly form:

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Team News

Vorwarts are set to hand another start to attacking midfielder Paul Staudinger on Saturday afternoon, with the 20-year-old netting his team's only goal during the loss to Amstetten.

A bright spark for the hosts during their relegation campaign in 2022-23 was 27-year-old Kubilay Yilmaz, as the attacker netted three goals in five starts in the second half of the term.

QPR are expected to make heavy changes to their XI at either the half-time interval or 60 minutes this weekend, although influential Moroccan Ilias Chair should retain his starting place for the visitors, despite being linked with a move to Leicester City.

Paul Smyth could be set for his debut after moving from Leyton Orient last month - the forward was on commentary duties for the club last weekend, with a slight knock preventing him from featuring against Slavia Prague.

Chris Willock is another player who could provide a moment of magic for the English club in Austria, with the 25-year looking to move past an injury-riddled period last term.

Vorwarts Steyr possible starting lineup:

Eres; Marceta, Bumberger, Prada, Dombaxi; Pasic, Spangler, Staudinger; Satin, Filip, Yilmaz

Queens Park Rangers possible starting lineup:

Archer; Adomah, Dunne, Gubbins, Larkeche; Field, Duke-McKenna, Pedder, Dixon-Bonner; Chair, Kargbo

We say: Vorwarts Steyr 0-2 Queens Park Rangers

Vorwarts were impressive at home last campaign despite their relegation to the third tier of Austrian football, but the visit of Championship side QPR will be a tricky assignment.

The R's were faced with a stern test against Slavia Prague last time out, but Ainsworth's men should find it considerably easier at the LIWEST Arena on Saturday afternoon.

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