Austria face two decisive fixtures in their bid to secure promotion to the top tier of the Nations League. They host the Republic of Ireland in Linz on 14 November before travelling to Debrecen, Hungary, three days later for their match against Israel at a neutral venue. After four rounds, Austria lead Group B3 with eight points, followed by Kosovo and Ireland on five each, while Israel sit bottom with two. Victory over Ireland would be enough to secure top spot with a game to spare.
Four players ruled out through injury
Rangnick has selected 21 outfield players and four goalkeepers for the two Nations League fixtures, two fewer outfield players than for the previous international camp, which featured four matches.
Patrick Wimmer, Nikolas Veratschnig, Paul Wanner and Maximilian Wöber are all unavailable through injury. Their absences leave Austria short of options in defence as well as in wide attacking and advanced midfield positions.
The good news for Rangnick is the return of key player Christoph Baumgartner. The RB Leipzig attacking midfielder has recently made his comeback from injury and is gradually building up his playing time.
Baumgartner’s playing time remains uncertain
Baumgartner has already impressed in his brief appearances since returning to action. However, it remains unclear how many minutes he will be able to play for Austria. Rangnick intends to manage his workload in close consultation with the player and carefully monitor his physical condition.
Leipzig’s next two competitive fixtures will also be important in that assessment. Before the international break, the German club face Manchester City in the Champions League and FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga. Baumgartner’s minutes in those matches, and how he responds physically, could determine the extent of his involvement with the national team.
First senior call-up for Weinhandl
Luca Weinhandl has earned his first call-up to Austria’s senior national team. The young Sturm Graz midfielder was already under consideration for the previous international camp and has now been rewarded for a sustained run of impressive performances.
Weinhandl’s physical strength allows him to hold his own in individual duels, while his composure on the ball rarely deserts him, even under pressure. He makes remarkably few rushed decisions for a player of his age. His maturity is equally apparent away from the pitch, where he comes across as assured and articulate in interviews and public appearances.
If he continues to develop at his current rate, the 17-year-old has the potential to become an important figure in Austria’s national team for years to come.
Demir misses out despite strong Rapid form
Yusuf Demir has not made the final squad this time. The Rapid Vienna attacking midfielder has played a significant role in his club’s excellent start to the season and impressed again in their 2-0 derby victory over Austria Vienna.
Rangnick still regards Demir as a potential option for the national team in the future, provided he maintains his current level of performance. Competition for places in his preferred positions remains fierce, while Weinhandl and LASK captain Sascha Horvath have also earned their selections through their performances.
For now, the 23-year-old remains on standby alongside Rapid teammate Matthias Seidl. If Demir maintains his impressive form, he could force his way back into contention for a place in a future Austria squad.
Rangnick set to undergo ankle surgery
Rangnick is scheduled to have ankle fusion surgery in approximately three weeks, once the two Nations League fixtures have been played. The 68-year-old deliberately scheduled the procedure for after the final international match of the year.
The timing should give him sufficient time to recover, with the aim of being fit enough to resume his duties when the national team next assembles.
Austria squad for the Nations League
Goalkeepers: Lukas Jungwirth (LASK; 0 caps), Alexander Schlager (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 32), Florian Wiegele (Viktoria Plzeň/CZE; 2), Christian Zawieschitzky (FC Red Bull Salzburg; 1)
Defenders: David Affengruber (Fulham FC/ENG; 3 caps/1 goal), Felix Bacher (Olympique Lyonnais/FRA; 1/0), Kevin Danso (Sunderland AFC/ENG; 39/0), Philipp Lienhart (SC Freiburg/GER; 45/3), Phillipp Mwene (1. FSV Mainz 05/GER; 34/1), Stefan Posch (1. FSV Mainz 05/GER; 59/5), Alexander Prass (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim/GER; 24/1), Michael Svoboda (Brighton & Hove Albion FC/ENG; 4/0)
Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig/GER; 58/19), Carney Chukwuemeka (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 9/2), Sascha Horvath (LASK; 1/0), Konrad Laimer (FC Bayern Munich/GER; 63/7), Christoph Lang (LASK; 2/1), Xaver Schlager (Nottingham Forest FC/ENG; 59/4), Romano Schmid (Frosinone Calcio/ITA; 42/5), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig/GER; 55/1), Luca Weinhandl (SK Sturm Graz; 0)
Forwards: Junior Adamu (FC Schalke 04/GER; 10/1), Michael Gregoritsch (FC Augsburg/GER; 81/25), Marco Grüll (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 10/0), Sasa Kalajdzic (LASK; 29/6)
Players on standby
Goalkeepers: Nicolas Kristof (SV Elversberg/GER; 0), Patrick Pentz (Brøndby IF/DEN; 18)
Defenders: Samson Baidoo (RC Lens/FRA; 1/0), Marco Friedl (SV Werder Bremen/GER; 13/0), Jannik Schuster (Brentford FC/ENG; 0), Valentin Zabransky (FC Red Bull Salzburg; 0)
Midfielders: Yusuf Demir (SK Rapid; 4/0), Jacob Peter Hödl (SK Sturm Graz; 0), Dejan Ljubicic (FC Schalke 04/GER; 9/1), Alessandro Schöpf (LASK; 35/6), Matthias Seidl (SK Rapid; 8/1)
Forwards: Oluwaseun Adewumi (Hertha BSC/GER; 0), Raul Florucz (Union Saint-Gilloise/BEL; 3/0), Marco Hoffmann (TSV Hartberg; 0)
