It was a season of return to the top flight for LASK and, even though the Linzers looked as a strong side before the season even started, they will be absolutely delighted with how they have done, as they never looked to be under threat of escaping the group and eventually qualified for Europe.
Oliver Glasner, who took over two years ago, has added to his growing reputation by first leading the Linzers towards promotion and then guiding them through a superb Bundesliga campaign which saw their football evolve over time.
LASK did reasonably well from the very beginning and had no major periods of crisis, but what was noticeable was that the way they played changed significantly over time.
Initially a physical side that relied almost exclusively on set-pieces, LASK became better and better at keeping the ball on the ground over time, with the return of Joao Victor, who missed the first four months of the season with a doping ban, being crucial to the Linzers adopting their new style.
Glasner's men became more and more of an attacking side and eventually became capable of taking games to their opponents away from home and did this despite losing important players such as Dogan Erdogan and Mergim Berisha to long-term injuries.
LASK even looked capable of battling for second at one point and, despite eventually finishing not only below Sturm but also below Rapid, will be delighted with how they have done and will certainly be in an excellent mood as they prepare for next season.
