His crew had simply crushed the Netherlands 3-2 and completed first in what was, in keeping with the world rankings, probably the most troublesome group of the European Championship, and the query of whether or not they have been prepared for the title was inevitable.
“I do not assume it is very doubtless that we’ll change into European champions,” Rangnick replied on Tuesday in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
The ÖFB choice had already been given the standing of a darkish horse by worldwide media earlier than the match started. Rangnick continues to be unmoved by this. “It has no impact on our video games in any respect,” emphasised the German. They don’t wish to become involved in title hypothesis, they’re considering from recreation to recreation. “The boys are bold and wish to go so far as potential.”
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Bus social gathering with “Candy Caroline”: The ÖFB gamers sang loudly about their group victory
Not within the grid with title favorites
An enormous advance appears fairly potential, and never simply due to the efficiency towards the “Oranje”. By profitable the group – the primary at a finals for the reason that 1978 World Cup – Austria averted the half of the grid during which the title favorites Spain, Germany, Portugal and France are situated.
These 4 groups might solely be met within the last. However first, on Tuesday in Leipzig, they may face the second-placed crew from Pool F, which might be both Turkey, the Czech Republic or Georgia. “It doesn’t matter what occurs subsequent, they’re all good opponents. We at all times need to carry out on the highest stage anyway,” mentioned Rangnick.
With a efficiency just like the one towards the Dutch, the boys’s crew might make it to the quarter-finals of the European Championship for the primary time in ÖFB historical past. “We obtained off to a brutally good begin and had what felt like 80 % possession within the first 20 minutes,” mentioned Rangnick. The aim conceded to make it 1-1 quickly after the restart was “not significantly lucky.” A mistake by Florian Grillitsch had led to the aim. “That was an uncharacteristic lack of the ball from him,” defined Rangnick.
A couple of minutes later, Grillitsch arrange Romano Schmid’s 2-1. “I am comfortable for him that after this error he had the arrogance to become involved and play a chip ball like that,” mentioned the coach. Generally, he was “impressed” with how his crew reacted to the 2 equalisers.
The highlights of the match:
Rangnick had stunned everybody along with his line-up, leaving Christoph Baumgartner and Konrad Laimer, who have been each going through a yellow card suspension, on the bench. One motive for this was the 1:1 draw the day earlier than between Croatia and Italy – it was clear that even a 0:4 defeat to the “Oranje” would have been sufficient to get via. “If the Italians hadn’t scored within the final minute, we’d most likely have began with a special crew,” mentioned Rangnick.
The nationwide coach due to this fact determined to make a complete of 4 modifications in comparison with the 3-1 win towards Poland, which turned out to be a stroke of luck. “We selected a quite sudden formation. On reflection, these ideas paid off. We have been in a position to go ‘all in’ with this formation from the beginning.”
Wimmer has to observe within the spherical of 16
Rangnick solely put three of the seven gamers in danger within the beginning eleven: Marko Arnautovic, Maximilian Wöber and Patrick Wimmer. Solely Wimmer was proven a yellow card and can due to this fact have to observe the spherical of 16. “It was clear to me: if we wish to win, we can not take yellow playing cards under consideration from the beginning. If I inform Konrad Laimer to not danger a yellow card and he holds again, I do not even must put him within the beginning line-up.” Baumgartner additionally had slight knee issues, reported the crew supervisor.
The brand new gamers within the crew did their job brilliantly. Rangnick: “The sport made us realise that the depth of our squad is a bit greater than everybody thought, together with myself.” With this squad, we gained the group forward of runners-up France – though Rangnick had declared the day earlier than that he didn’t assume that ending first was “very doubtless”. “I stick with this: the likelihood that we win and France doesn’t beat Poland – anybody who would have guessed that will most likely be a wealthy man or lady now. The wonderful thing about soccer is that issues like that occur and we have been rewarded for our brave and energetic efficiency.”
After the opening match towards France, there was little to nothing to recommend that they’d end first. “We began with a 0-1 deficit after which had a number of stress earlier than the Poland match. The truth that we ended up profitable the group is unbelievable,” defined Rangnick, who now has every week to arrange his crew for the spherical of 16. “It is virtually like a Bundesliga match,” mentioned the soon-to-be 66-year-old in regards to the lengthy break.
By bus to Leipzig
The journey to Leipzig might be made by bus. This minimises the chance of disagreeable surprises, comparable to earlier than the France match, when the flight to Düsseldorf was delayed. Even the Tuesday journey from the Berlin crew resort to the Olympic Stadium didn’t go easily – a policeman accompanying the bus was hit by a automotive on his motorcycle, however was not significantly injured.
The upcoming keep in Leipzig is “for some a visit to their previous residence, for some even to their present one”. Baumgartner and Nicolas Seiwald are presently working for RB Leipzig, others comparable to Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer and Rangnick himself have labored for the Saxons for years.
Photograph gallery: NED – AUT: The OÖN participant ranking
(Photograph: (APA/AFP/JOHN MACDOUGALL)) Bild 1/17
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In Leipzig, emphasis is positioned on the fashion of play that additionally characterizes the ÖFB crew. Nevertheless, Rangnick says he has little to do with the time period “Crimson Bull soccer.” “That does not actually make sense, as a result of we additionally make investments a number of time in what we do with the ball. What we play fits the gamers completely, and that is what it is all about ultimately.”
The followers thanked them with a fervent roar of “I’m from Austria”, the ÖFB track “Hoch gwimmas (n)imma”, which was launched over a yr in the past, performs a minor function at greatest. “I nonetheless assume this track is cool as a result of it lets the slander movement and pokes enjoyable at itself in an unique approach. However when 25,000 or 30,000 sing ‘I’m from Austria’, I believe that is much more genuine and extra becoming for the crew,” mentioned Rangnick.
Whereas the ÖFB crew celebrated with the followers to the sounds of Rainhard Fendrich, Rangnick took a seat on the substitute bench. “I simply wished to relaxation a bit,” mentioned the coach. In response to a particular statistic, Rangnick can sit up for one other celebration within the spherical of 16 – below his management, the red-white-red crew has gained all six worldwide matches performed on a Tuesday.
