Ralf Rangnick announced Austria’s squad for the first two World Cup qualifiers on Monday. The German coach had several surprises in store.
As expected, David Alaba will not be in the Austrian national team’s squad for the first World Cup qualifiers on June 7 in Vienna against Romania and on June 10 in Serravalle against San Marino. The team captain is still recovering from a torn meniscus. In his place, team manager Ralf Rangnick nominated Xaver Schlager, who has recently been injured, and six possible debutants on Monday.
Schlager played his only competitive game this year on March 20 in the 1-1 home draw against Serbia in the Nations League play-off, after which he was sidelined with a muscle injury. The pros without international caps are goalkeepers Tobias Lawal (LASK), Nikolas Polster (WAC), and Nicolas Schmid (Portsmouth), as well as Nikolas Veratschnig (Mainz), Thierno Ballo (WAC), and Mathias Honsak (Heidenheim). Gernot Trauner (Feyenoord) is in the squad but is suspended for the Romania match. Marco Friedl (Werder Bremen) returns to the squad.
Only Niklas Hedl (Rapid), Alexander Prass (Hoffenheim), Kevin Stöger, Stefan Lainer (both Gladbach) and Muhammed Cham (Trabzonspor) appear on the standby list. Compared to the squad originally nominated for the Serbia matches, six players are missing, including Salzburg goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, who has suffered a wrist injury.
