So what are the SK Rapid Vienna prospects for 2015 - 2016? SK Rapid Vienna (or SK Rapid Wien) are the
most successful club in the history of Austrian football. Since the first Austrian national championship in 1812-which Rapid Wien won, beating Wiener Sportclub to the top of the table-the soccer club has won 32 Austrian titles. They also clinched a German national championship in 1941, beating reigning champs Schalke 04 when Austria was under Nazi rule.

Yet, in spite of Rapid Vienna's prestigious history at the zenith of Austria's football circuit, it's now been seven years since the team ascended to the top of the podium. Indeed, the last time the Green-Whites lifted an Austrian national championship trophy, it was 2008. Thank the recent dominance of FC Red Bull Salzburg, who have won five of the past seven incarnations of the Austrian Bundesliga. But after a strong runner-up finish in the 2014 2015 league, could the upcoming soccer season be Rapid Vienna's chance to finally end their lengthy title draught?

Consistent Contenders


It's difficult to say whether or not the Green-Whites could be bound for the top of the table when they don the SK Rapid Vienna home jersey 2015 2016 for the start of another season in the Austrian Bundesliga. Part of the unpredictability comes from the fact that, despite their lack of soccer titles for the past seven years, Rapid Vienna never really fell off in terms of quality.

In 2007 2008, the last season in which Vienna won a title, they actually topped Salzburg to do so, winning with a tally of 69 points (Salzburg had 63). The next year, the Green-Whites actually had a better season, netting the same number of wins and fewer losses for a total of 70 points. Salzburg did better as well, though, and ended up clinching the division with 74 points.

Other years have followed a similar template. In 2009 2010, Salzburg won again and SK Rapid Vienna fell to third (surpassed by local rivals, Austria Wien), but the three clubs were only separated by three points, and the Green-Whites actually had the best goal difference total.

2011 saw Rapid Vienna falling to fifth, but they bounced back to the runner-up position in 2012, finishing six points off the Salzburg lead. In 2013, they finished third; in 2014 and 2015, it was back to second.

Bottom line, Rapid Vienna have been consistent contenders in the Austrian Bundesliga in the seven years since they last won a title. They've just fallen into something of an "always a bridesmaid, never a bride" pattern, playing well, but never well enough to topple Red Bull Salzburg.

The Path to the Top

If the wearers of the SK Rapid Vienna home jersey 2015 2016 are going to return to the top of the Austrian Bundesliga standings table, then it is absolutely essential that they shore up their offense. In 2014 2015, the club's defense was the best in the league, recording a "goals against" tally of 38 (compared to Salzburg's GA of 42).

Unfortunately, while Vienna's offense was strong, scoring 68 goals in 38 fixtures, they were nothing compared to Salzburg's. Indeed, the Red Bull squad together netted 99 goals, coming out 27 points ahead of Rapid Wien in goal difference-despite their inferior defense.

One look at the top scorers list for the 2014 2015 Austrian Bundesliga shows why Red Bull Salzburg has been nearly unbeatable as of late. Of the division's top 10 scorers (or top 13, with ties figured in), Red Bull had four of them, including three (Jonathan Soriano, Marcel Sabitzer, and Marco Djuricin) in the top five.

Vienna's Robert Beric recorded an impressive 27 goals in his first season with the club, to become the league's second best scorer. However, he still scored four fewer goals than Jonathan Soriano, and wasn't enough to counteract the astounding depth of Salzburg's offense.

Will Rapid Vienna find some new offensive talent during the summer transfer season, to compete with Red Bull Salzburg? Or will rumors that Beric might be on his way elsewhere come true and set the football club back to square one? Either way, you can root for the Green-Whites today with a new SK Rapid Vienna jersey 2015 2016 from Soccer Box!