Austria head into the 2024 European Championships in Germany without their star player and captain David Alaba and first choice goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, who have both been sidelined by injury.
However, the Ralf Ragnick led side will be full of confidence after successfully navigating their qualifying group and losing just one match in the process. Marcel Sabitzer’s return to form will also be a big boost for the Austrians.
Austria have their work cut out for them already with The Netherlands, France and Poland as their first set of hurdles in the tournament. Soccernet.football takes a look at seven players that could play a significant role for Ragnick’s underdogs in Germany.
7. Kevin Danso
Danso has been making waves in the French Ligue 1 with his solid defensive performances for RC Lens over the past three years. The 6’3 center-back has grown into a confident and reliable defender since his move from Dusseldorf to Lens in 2021.
Austria will be looking to the 25-year-old to anchor their defense in the absence of Alaba. His physicality, strength and aerial ability will make him a formidable presence in the Austrian back line.
6. Maximilian Wöber
Wöber is another key member of the Austrian defensive setup who will be looking to step up in the absence of Alaba. He had a relatively decent debut campaign for Borussia M’gladbach, contributing 5 goal involvements in 27 matches.
The 26-year-old is a versatile defender, capable of playing at center-back as well as left-back. Wöber is also an asset in the air, both defensively and offensively, a dimension of his game Austria will look to benefit greatly from.
5. Thierno Ballo
The youngest player on this list, Ballo is an exciting attacking midfielder who plays his club football in the domestic league for Wolfsberger AC where his talent and huge potential have been on display.
The former Chelsea youth team player registered an impressive 17 goal contributions across 29 matches this past season. We expect Ragnick to hand the 22-year-old who can also play further up the pitch, some opportunities to showcase his talent in Germany.
4. Konrad Laimer
Laimer endured a difficult campaign with Bayern Munich this past season as the perennial Bundesliga winners struggled with inconsistency for large parts of the season before eventually ending it without winning anything.
The 27-year-old will be looking to put those struggles behind him and aim all his focus towards helping his nation perform well in Germany. His ability to comfortably slot in at central and defensive midfield as well as right-back makes him indispensable for Austria.
3. Marko Arnautovic
The 35-year-old center-forward is easily one of the most recognizable names in Austrian football, having played in many top European leagues including the Eredivisie, Bundesliga, Premier League and now Serie A.
Arnautovic played a supporting role at Inter Milan where he spent the 2023/2024 campaign on loan from Bologna, mostly coming off the bench to contribute as the Nerazzurri cruised to the Serie A title.
It is expected that Freiburg’s Michael Gregoritsch will lead Austria’s attack at the tournament so Arnautovic may one again, have to settle for playing back up in Germany.
2. Marcel Sabitzer
After a somewhat disappointing loan spell at Manchester United, Sabitzer has rediscovered incredible form since joining Borussia Dortmund from Bayern Munich on a permanent basis.
The 30-year-old midfielder was instrumental in Dortmund’s amazing run to the Champions League final where they eventually fell short against record holders Real Madrid.
We expect to see Sabitzer orchestrate Austria’s play, break down opposition attacks and contribute higher up the pitch with goals and assists during the tournament.
1. Michael Gregoritsch
Gregoritsch was in decent form for Freiburg this past season, registering 18 goal contributions across 42 appearances and he will be looking to carry his form into the tournament.
The 30-year-old striker can lead the front line as a point man and also play off another forward as a supporting striker. These attributes of his provide Austria with room for tactical flexibility upfront.
Wherever Gregoritsch is deployed eventually, his experience and leadership combined with his goal-scoring ability will certainly be vital for Austria during the tournament.