Sturm Graz remains at the top of the Bundesliga table with a 1:0 win over SCR Altach. All attention was focused on the Causa Yann Massombo, the Altach player who refused to travel to Graz after training on Friday. „We tried to convince him, but he was very clear and didn't get on the bus because he wants to leave the club“, said Sport Director Philipp Netzer. Meanwhile, criticism of former Altach coach and current Sturm Graz coach Fabio Ingolitsch is growing. Ingolitsch admitted to having talks with Massombo on Saturday. ## No official inquiry Clubs are not allowed to negotiate with players who have more than six months left on their contract without the current club's consent. Massombo has been playing for Altach since last summer and his contract runs until summer 2027. It also includes an option for an additional year, according to a statement from SCR Altach on Sunday. If Sturm Graz wants to sign Massombo, they need to make an official inquiry to Altach to be allowed to enter into talks. Altach claims to have no official inquiry from Sturm Graz for the 26-year-old Massombo. The room is therefore not only filled with moral accusations, but possibly also those of a rule violation regarding contact with a player by another club for poaching. A transfer of the Frenchman is not possible without the consent of SCR Altach, a transfer would have to be negotiated between the clubs. ## Ingolitsch speaks of a normal process Ingolitsch denied on Saturday not having had a conversation with Massombo. He had, however, spoken with many players regarding a possible transfer. On the question of why they didn't talk to the Altach player first after the match, the Sturm coach replied: „I think a completely normal process has taken place, as it always is. One can of course lie in one's face and say that clubs don't speak with players. I believe that no transfer in this world will come to fruition if a player doesn't speak with a coach.“ ## Contact confirmed „The SCR Altach has taken note of the statements of the SK Sturm Graz coach after the game. These confirm that a contact between SK Sturm Graz and player Yann Massombo took place. Furthermore, there are other facts that confirm this. In light of this, the club sees itself as being obliged to take further steps“, it says in a statement from the Bundesliga club. The further course of action and the labor law handling of the player will be reviewed internally in the short term. „The SCR Altach will make a statement at a later time“, so the club. ## „Not my value“ Altach coach Ognjen Zaric addressed Sturm coach Ingolitsch with clear words – without mentioning him by name –: „For me, respect is very, very important. If I then hear from the team that a coach contacts this player (Massombo, Anm.) in the presence of other players, a day before the game, then that doesn't represent my value. I find that very, very bad.“ And – so Zaric