Former EFL striker suffers a broken skull following vicious assault in Vienna city centre

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Austrian footballer Guido Burgstaller has been left with serious head injuries, including a skull fracture, after he was attacked in the Vienna city center, his club Rapid Vienna said Monday.

Rapid Vienna said the 35-year-old striker was struck by an unidentified man and fell, injuring his head, in an incident which took place in front of witnesses during the weekend.

The club said Burgstaller, who has played 26 times for the Austrian national team, was expected to spend 'the coming days' in a hospital and would likely be unable to play for several months.

The club didn't give further details of the incident and said it wanted to respect the privacy of Burgstaller and his family. It added that it 'trusts that the responsible authorities will soon bring the as-yet unidentified perpetrator to justice.'

A statement from the club read: 'There is some very bad news to report before SK Rapid's last home game of the season.

'Guido Burgstaller was the victim of a physical attack in the presence of witnesses at the weekend and suffered serious head injuries.

Guido Burgstaller has been hospitalised following a vicious attack in Vienna city centre

Burgstaller  is currently in his second spell in the Austrian capital with Rapid Wien

'The 35-year-old from Carinthia was attacked by an unknown man in the centre of Vienna and suffered a fractured skull after a fall caused by a brutal blow.

'Burgstaller was immediately examined and treated in a Viennese hospital. Unfortunately, he will have to spend the next few days there and it is also a fact that he will not be able to work for several months.

'SK Rapid wishes its worthy player a speedy and uncomplicated recovery and trusts in the responsible authorities that the as yet unknown perpetrator will be brought to justice quickly.

'We ask that you respect the privacy of Guido Burgstaller and his family.

'If there is any news in the next few days, SK Rapid will report it in consultation with its medical department and Guido Burgstaller.

'SK Rapid will of course fully support Guido Burgstaller on his way to a full and hopefully speedy recovery.'

Burgstaller is currently in his second spell with Rapid Wien, having returned from St Pauli back in 2022. 

He was initially on the books at the Austrian club for three years from 2011 and 2014 before departing for Cardiff City and the Championship. 

The 35-year-old striker has been in strong form this season with eight goals and six assists

He would however go on to only play five games in a six-month stint in the Welsh capital, only three of those coming in the second-tier, and scored just once before leaving for free in January 2015. 

The now-35-year-old then had spells at Nuremburg and Schalke, where he featured in the Champions League, before moving to St Pauli and latterly Rapid Wien. 

Burgstaller has impressed this term with 14 goal contributions in all competitions in 24 games so far in 2024-25. 

His side are third in the Austrian Bundesliga, trailing leaders SK Sturm Graz by eight points, and are in action on Thursday in the Europa Conference League against Copenhagen with the league halted for the winter.