“Everything is possible with our neighbors”: Austria dreams of a European Championship coup in Germany

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On Monday evening, Austria managed to qualify directly for the European Championship thanks to a 1-0 win in Azerbaijan. For the third time in a row, the Ösis are participating in a European Championship – the series was started in 2015 by Marcel Koller. The coach is no longer Swiss, but a German: Ralph Rangnick (65), the brain behind the Red Bull team. Football philosophy applies.

Rangnick has once again made Austria a force to be reckoned with internationally. Since taking office in April 2022, he has led the ÖFB team to several notable successes. For example, a 3-0 win against Croatia, a 1-1 against France and a 2-0 win against Italy.

In European Championship qualifying, Austria also achieved five wins in seven matches and has now taken the lead in the rankings. Impressive: Sweden, on paper the closest competitor in the battle for second place behind Belgium, was defeated both home and away. And Austria also sold itself dearly to the Belgians. After a draw in the summer, they lost last week by a narrow margin of 2:3.

RB football inspires the masses

But it’s not just the results that are positive. The football Rangnick plays is also delightful. Power, pressure, speed – in the best RB style. “We have tried to get the fans excited again with attractive football. We have developed a feeling of euphoria,” said BVB legionnaire Marcel Sabitzer after the victory in Baku.

The media in our own country also honor Rangnick’s work. For example, the Kronenzeitung writes that the national coach “100 percent met the high expectations”. He quickly got “the best” out of the team. A team that has players of the caliber of Alaba (Real), Laimer (Bayern), Danso (Lens) and, as before, Arnautovic (Inter) and is now finally realizing its potential.

The dismal performances of the ÖFB team under ex-FCZ coaching flop Franco Foda now seem far away. After the Koller era, he was on the sidelines from 2017 to 2022, but unlike Rangnick, he was never able to inspire a spirit of optimism despite qualifying for the 2021 European Championship. His defensively oriented playing style was never really well received by the public or the team itself.

Summer fairytale in the neighboring country?

Rangnick immediately received the reward for the successful European Championship qualification. His contract has been automatically extended until the 2026 World Cup. But before participating in the first World Cup since 1998, Austria is pursuing another important goal: making an exclamation point at next summer’s European Championships in Germany.

The ÖFB players themselves make this clear. At the festivities in Baku they wore shirts with the inscription ‘Everything can be done at the neighbors.’ “We want to play a role there, not just be there,” said Leipzig striker Baumgartner. “Many of us work, live and live in Germany, it will be a European Championship at home for us. We will do everything we can to stay there as long as possible.”

These ambitions are shared at home. The “Kronenzeitung” is already proclaiming a “Summer Fairytale 2024” as a major goal. And after the final whistle, the approximately 400 fans who traveled with them in Baku sang euphorically: “Berlin, Berlin, we are going to Berlin!” The final of the European Championship will take place on July 14, 2024 in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin. Thanks to Rangnick, our neighbor can dream again.

Source : Blick