Ralf Rangnick will probably carry out a number of experiments in the Ernst Happel Stadium against Serbia and Switzerland, but the results are also important, as the team manager stressed. His team welcomes the Serbs with the reference of five consecutive victories.
“We will try to extend this series,” announced Rangnick on the ORF program “Sport am Sonntag.” “Both games are dress rehearsals. In both games we will send a team that is capable of winning.” But the first European Championship match on June 17 in Düsseldorf against France will also be in the back of our minds, added the German.
Interview with Ralf Rangnick
Football coach Ralf Rangnick is a guest in the studio. Among other things, he talks about his rejection from Bayern Munich.
With Pentz and Arnautovic
Rangnick left it largely open as to which team he would use to achieve this, initially only revealing that Marko Arnautovic would start and act as captain. The 65-year-old also announced that he would put two other central defenders in the starting lineup against Serbia than against Switzerland. Gernot Trauner will probably not be part of this quartet – the Feyenoord legionnaire missed the last three training sessions due to physical complaints.
ÖFB team before match against Serbia
On Tuesday, Austria’s national football team will play its first international preparatory match for the upcoming European Championship in Germany. The team is hoping to continue its series of five consecutive victories against Serbia in Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium.
“He was rested once again. We have to see whether he is fit to train again on Wednesday,” said Rangnick. When asked by ORF, the German later confirmed that Patrick Pentz will be in goal and that another goalkeeper from the trio Tobias Lawal, Heinz Lindner and Niklas Hedl will get the chance at the dress rehearsal in St. Gallen on Saturday.
Sabitzer takes a break, Schmid returns
In addition to Trauner, Marcel Sabitzer will be given a break after losing the Champions League final with Dortmund, but Romano Schmid is available after the birth of his son on Sunday. Also available are the three central defenders Philipp Lienhart, Kevin Danso and Maximilian Wöber, who have only recently recovered from injuries – all three were able to take part in the training sessions in Windischgarsten in full.
Football friendly
Tuesday, 8.45 p.m., live ORF1
Austria – Serbia
Vienna, Happel Stadium, SR Nobre (POR)
Possible setups:
Austria: Pentz – Lainer, Danso, Wöber, Prass – Seiwald, Laimer – Schmid, Baumgartner, Wimmer – Arnautovic
Serbia: Petrovic – Veljkovic, Babic, Pavlovic – Zivkovic, Gudelj, Lukic, Kostic – Tadic, S. Milinkovic-Savic – Vlahovic
At the ÖFB camp in the Upper Austrian community, the good team spirit was always highlighted. According to Rangnick, the current squad is not only characterized by a positive atmosphere. “It is clear that the boys get on well with each other, but that does not mean that we hug each other every day. There is a lot of competition and an absolute will to win games.”
The Serbs were not chosen as sparring partners because their style resembles that of a European Championship group opponent. “It was about finding an opponent who was also looking for an opponent,” said Rangnick. Due to the large Serbian community in Austria, a good stadium occupancy is to be expected – by Monday evening almost 35,000 tickets had been sold. “We will have a good atmosphere,” said Rangnick.
Special match for Arnautovic
The match has a special aspect for Arnautovic, whose father is Serbian. “I’m sure I’ll be emotional, my family will be in the stadium. But I’ll give everything to win. Everyone knows that I love Serbia too,” said the Inter Milan striker. Arnautovic will be fully committed against the Serbs. “Nowadays there are no more test or friendly matches, you have to approach every game with 100 percent. If you withdraw, you also run a greater risk of getting injured.”
GEPA/Johannes Friedl Arnautovic, whose father is Serbian, will lead the team onto the field as captain on Tuesday
The 35-year-old feels fit again after recovering from a muscle injury and says he would have no problem playing all of the group matches at the European Championships. “I would prefer to play more than three times for 90 minutes, because that would mean we would advance.” However, it is not impossible that Arnautovic will initially sit on the bench at the finals. “I will accept any decision the coach makes,” promised the Viennese. Rangnick remained tight-lipped about his plans for the European Championships with Arnautovic and simply said: “I am glad that we have him fully available again. When he is fit, he has always been an absolute asset for us.”
Final European Championship squad announced on Friday
The ÖFB players traveled early from Windischgarsten to Vienna on Monday because the training pitches had been damaged by the rain and did not complete their final training session in the Upper Austrian municipality as originally planned, but in the Happel Stadium. The national team will remain in the federal capital until Friday – on this day the final European Championship squad will be nominated and the flight to Switzerland will begin. After the match in St. Gallen, the players can enjoy a few days off, and will check in at the European Championship base camp in Berlin on June 12.
2024-06-04 07:57:44
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