Knee problems again
Injury misfortune remains! ÖFB defender is out
Philipp Lienhart has been injured again. This time it's the left knee that's bothering the central defender. The 27-year-old only recently celebrated his comeback. With captain David Alaba and Lienhart suffering from cruciate ligament injuries, ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick is now without both central defenders at the start of the European Championship year.
Austria's national soccer team will have to make do without Philipp Lienhart in the first two test matches of the 2024 European Championship year. The central defender from SC Freiburg is out for Saturday's visit to Slovakia (18:00) and Tuesday's home game against Turkey in Vienna (20:45) due to problems with his left knee. This was confirmed by ÖFB team boss Ralf Rangnick on Friday ahead of the final session at the training camp in Marbella.
Lienhart was a regular in the ÖFB team in the fall. The 27-year-old had to undergo groin surgery in January and only made his comeback last week. He has not trained in Marbella since Wednesday. "That's the only downer. He has problems in his knee, which is why he can't play either game," explained Rangnick.
Treatment in Freiburg
With captain David Alaba and Lienhart injured with cruciate ligaments, both central defenders who started in the most recent international match against Germany (2-0) in November are now unavailable at the start of the European Championship year. Rangnick also recalled Gernot Trauner, who was missing due to a thigh problem. The Austrians were once almost overstaffed in central defense. "If three potential starting eleven players are out, we are no longer so spoiled for choice," said Rangnick.
Leopold Querfeld will make his debut against the Slovakians alongside Kevin Danso in the center of defence. Against Turkey, Maximilian Wöber could also move from left-back to central defense. Rangnick revealed that Lienhart had at least been included in the starting line-up for the Turkey game following his groin problems. Against Slovakia, he had wanted to use him for at least half an hour. Now the Lower Austrian is not even included. Rangnick: "That's the only downer."
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