“Everything can be done with the neighbor”
Rangnick is thirsty and Austria dreams of a European Championship coup
October 17, 2023, 3:58 p.m
Austria’s footballers have big plans for their third European Championship participation in a row. They “don’t just want to be there” at the tournament in Germany, they “want to play a role”. For this, coach Ralf Rangnick has to develop the appropriate master plan.
Ralf Rangnick received a bottle cap, he could hardly see anything through his glasses, barley juice was dripping from his hair – but despite the sneaky attack, the team leader of the Austrian national team was grinning from ear to ear. The beer shower of his victorious protégés was the start of a happy party after the successful qualification for next year’s European Football Championship in Germany.
“Mr Rangnick was thirsty, so we brought him something to drink,” said Maximilian Wöber from Borussia Mönchengladbach during the celebrations after the decisive 1-0 (0-0) draw against Azerbaijan in Baku: “The team boss gave us an absolute one Given a free pass. We will show him how Austrians really celebrate.”
Things were already getting busy in the cabin. The winning goal from Dortmund’s Marcel Sabitzer (48th) with a hand penalty caused all the dams to break. “Again and again, again and again, again and again Austria,” the professionals shouted – according to Christoph Baumgartner from Leipzig, “loudly and incorrectly”, but “with a lot of enthusiasm”. Wöber confirmed these statements: “We are world class at this.”
The players had previously presented themselves as ready for the final round with a poster (“Gemma EURO”) and shirts (“Everything is MACHBAR at NEIGHBOR 2024”). For Austria, it is the third European Championship participation in a row and the sixth overall; the 400 fans who traveled with them were already setting their sights on the final on July 14th. “Berlin, Berlin, we’re going to Berlin,” the supporters chanted. “It’s pure goosebumps,” said Sabitzer: “We tried to get the fans excited again with attractive football. We’ve developed a euphoria, not too much, but the appreciation is there.”
“Soak it all up” like Rangnick’s T-shirt
The reactions from home also speak for this. “Germany, here we come!” was the headline in the Salzburger Nachrichten. The “Kronenzeitung” praised Rangnick’s achievement. “The German met the high expectations 100 percent. Within a short time, the 65-year-old got the most out of his troops,” wrote the paper: “Rangnick laid the foundation, and now he has another eight months to find the perfect tactics to work out a summer fairy tale for 2024.”
Rangnick passed on the praise to his team. “I told the boys that I’m proud of them,” said the Swabian, who will be testing their European Championship form against Germany with his players on November 21st in Vienna: “It’s been an extraordinary achievement in the last few weeks and months .”
Now the focus is on the European Championships, which the numerous Bundesliga legionnaires in particular are looking forward to. “We want to play a role there, not just be there,” said Baumgartner: “Many of us work, live and live there, it will be a home European Championship for us. We will do everything we can to ensure that we are there for as long as possible are.”
Captain Konrad Laimer, who, according to media reports, will be staying with his teammates in the five-star Hotel Weimarer Land during the European Championship finals, sees it similarly. “We’re on the right track,” said the Bayern Munich midfielder: “And then we want to soak up everything at the European Championships.” Just like Rangnick’s T-shirt in Baku.