ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick has named his first team squad for 2024: Stefan Lainer makes his comeback nine months after being diagnosed with lymph node cancer. Rapids’ Christoph Lang is in the squad for the first time
ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick is testing a debutant from Rapid Vienna in his squad at the start of the European Championship year. Offensive man Christoph Lang is in the squad for next week’s training camp in Marbella as well as the following tests against Slovakia (March 23 in Bratislava) and Turkey (March 26 in Vienna). Stefan Lainer also makes his comeback to the national team nine months after being diagnosed with lymph node cancer
Lang has secured a starting place at Rapid from the outset and can play all three positions in attack, said Rangnick. “We had a need and therefore decided to take a closer look at Christoph with the senior national team,” Rangnick added ahead of the penultimate training session before the EURO.
Borussia Mönchengladbach right-back Lainer last played for the ÖFB team in September 2022 against Croatia (1-3). “We were in contact the whole time, so I know how difficult it was for him. I thought it was remarkable how he dealt with it mentally,” said Rangnick, who recently saw Lainer with the same bite and commitment as before.
Salzburg defender Flavius Daniliuc, Sturm Graz midfielder Alexander Prass and attacking players Muhammed Cham (Clermont Foot) and Andreas Weimann from English second division side West Bromwich Albion also return to the team due to numerous injury-related absences. This also applies to Rapid central defender Leopold Querfeld, who, like Lang, has not yet played an international match.
Alaba will probably come on a visit
Star striker Marko Arnautovic is missing from the 26-man squad Rangnick announced in Vienna on Monday evening after suffering a muscle strain in his thigh on Saturday, as are captain David Alaba and attacker Sasa Kalajdzic after tearing their cruciate ligaments. Alaba is currently completing his rehab in Madrid and often travels to Innsbruck to reassess his healing process, Rangnick explained. “If everything goes normally, he will join us in Vienna in the next three days. Both to the hotel and to the game.”
Injured central defenders Gernot Trauner and Samson Baidoo, as well as Sturm Graz attacker Manprit Sarkaria, are also out after breaking his ankle.
Rangnick has called up Philipp Lienhart, however. The Freiburg defender has not played a game for more than two months following a groin operation. Patrick Wimmer, who has been injured for a long time, is also included. Cologne captain Florian Kainz, on the other hand, is missing from the squad. Rapid players Marco Grüll, Guido Burgstaller and Niklas Hedl, who were involved in the verbal outbursts after the Vienna derby, are also not in the squad
