After the World Cup comes the Nations League: Head coach Ralf Rangnick announced his squad for the upcoming training camp on Monday – and threw in a few surprises.
Austria’s head coach Ralf Rangnick presented his squad on Monday for the first four Nations League matches. With Lukas Jungwirth, Christian Zawieschitzky, Felix Bacher, Nikolas Veratschnig, Christoph Lang and Vasilije Markovic, the squad includes six players who have never before represented the senior national team. In total, Rangnick’s first squad since the World Cup comprises 27 players (23 outfield players and four goalkeepers), nine of whom did not feature in the finals.
Regular captain David Alaba, who is currently without a club and has not played a competitive match since the World Cup, was not selected. Also absent are former key players Marko Arnautovic (retired) and Marcel Sabitzer (taking a break), as well as Christoph Baumgartner, who remains sidelined through injury. Meanwhile, Schalke’s Maximilian Wöber and Junior Adamu, along with Marco Grüll of SV Werder Bremen, are making their national team comebacks.
Austria will start their Nations League Group B campaign with two home matches. On 24 September (8.45 pm), Rangnick’s side will face Israel in Linz, followed three days later (6 pm) by a clash with Kosovo at the Ernst Happel Stadium in Vienna. On 1 October (8.45 pm), Austria will travel to Ireland, before a quick rematch against Kosovo in Pristina on 4 October.
The ÖFB squad at a glance
Goalkeepers: Lukas Jungwirth (LASK; 0), Alexander Schalger (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 30), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzeň/CZE; 1), Christian Zawieschitzky (FC Red Bull Salzburg; 0)
Defenders: David Affengruber (Fulham FC/ENG; 1/0), Felix Bacher (Olympique Lyon/FRA; 0), Kevin Danso (Sunderland AFC/ENG; 36/0), Marco Friedl (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 12/0), Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg/GER; 43/3), Phillipp Mwene (1. FSV Mainz 05/GER; 32/0), Stefan Posch (1. FSV Mainz 05/GER; 56/5), Alexander Prass (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim/GER; 21/0), Nikolas Veratschnig (FC Red Bull Salzburg; 0), Maximilian Wöber (FC Schalke 04/GER; 31/0)
Midfield: Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 6/1), Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern Munich/GER; 61/7), Christoph Lang (LASK; 0), Vasilije Markovic (FK Austria Vienna; 0), Xaver Schlager (Nottingham Forest FC/ENG; 55/4), Romano Schmid (Frosinone Calcio/ITA; 38/4), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig/GER; 51/1), Paul Wanner (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 7/0), Patrick Wimmer (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim/GER; 32/1)
Forwards: Junior Adamu (FC Schalke 04/GER; 9/0), Michael Gregoitsch (FC Augsburg/GER; 78/24), Marco Grüll (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 8/0), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK; 25/5)
