Injury devil rages

Schlager already 3rd European Championship starter with cruciate ligament rupture!

David Alaba and Xaver Schlager

(Bild: APA/AFP/Thomas COEX)

Six weeks before the start of the EURO in Germany, Austria's national soccer team is struggling with numerous high-profile absences! After David Alaba and Sasa Kalajdzic, Xaver Schlager is the third ÖFB team player to suffer a cruciate ligament rupture this season. Schlager and Kalajdzic are both ruled out for the European Championships, while captain Alaba's participation would be "a minor miracle" for team boss Ralf Rangnick. 

Manprit Sarkaria's European Championship hopes are minimal due to a broken ankle, while Philipp Lienhart (knee problems), Kevin Danso (adductor strain) and Maximilian Wöber (torn muscle fiber) are three other central defenders (in addition to Alaba) currently out injured.

Overview of the injured ÖFB team players:

• David Alaba (cruciate ligament rupture): The captain of the ÖFB team has had to take a break for six months due to a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The Spanish champions Real Madrid defender unfortunately got caught in the turf in a duel with Gerard Moreno in the 32nd minute of the home game against Villarreal on December 17, twisting his left knee in the process. The European Championship is not completely written off, but participation is very unlikely.
• Xaver Schlager (cruciate ligament rupture): The regular in the central ÖFB midfield and at RB Leipzig will be out for several months after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Schlager suffered the injury on Friday in the Bundesliga match at TSG Hoffenheim after a quarter of an hour without any action on the part of the opponent. It is the 26-year-old's second cruciate ligament rupture. The first was in his right knee.

David Alaba

(Bild: Associated Press; instagram.com/davidalaba)

• Sasa Kalajdzic (cruciate ligament rupture): The two-meter man suffered his third cruciate ligament rupture on February 18. The 26-year-old Eintracht Frankfurt striker was injured in the Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg in the 8th minute without any outside influence. The diagnosis, which put an end to his European Championship dream, was a rupture of the cruciate and collateral ligaments in his right knee.
• Manprit Sarkaria (broken ankle): The Sturm Graz attacking player broke his lateral malleolus on March 7. Sarkaria was injured in the first leg of the Europa Conference League round of 16 against OSC Lille in Graz in the 37th minute when he took a shot on goal. The 27-year-old had made his team debut in October of last year in the European Championship qualifier at home against Belgium.

Sasa Kalajdzic

(Bild: APA/AFP/POOL/JUSTIN TALLIS)

• Philipp Lienhart (knee problems): The SC Freiburg central defender has been sidelined for a month and a half due to problems in his left knee. In January, the 27-year-old had to undergo an operation due to nerve irritation in his right groin and made his brief comeback on March 17.
• Kevin Danso (adductor strain): The defensive boss of French top-flight club Lens suffered an adductor strain in the championship match against Lorient on Friday and was substituted at the break. His participation in the European Championship should not be in danger, but the central defender is likely to miss Lens' last two league games.

Kevin Danso

(Bild: AP)

• Maximilian Wöber (torn muscle fiber): The Borussia Mönchengladbach defender, who can be deployed centrally and on the left, suffered a slight muscle fiber tear in his thigh against Hoffenheim on April 20 and has sat out the two games since.