Rangnick ponders

Core crumbled – we’ve never had such bad luck before

Team boss Ralf Rangnick (right) is having second thoughts after all the injuries.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Fourth player to miss out - goalkeeper Alex Schlager also has no chance of playing in the EURO after meniscus surgery. No agony of choice for team boss Ralf Rangnick.

Madness - the next euphoria killer, the bad news for Austria's team boss Ralf Rangnick just won't stop!

After the cruciate ligament victims David Alaba, Sasa Kalajdzic and Xaver Schlager, the next high-profile EURO absentee for Austria's team has been confirmed: goalkeeper Alex Schlager, who was ruled out of Sunday's league match in Hütteldorf during the warm-up, underwent surgery on his left knee yesterday in Innsbruck. The 28-year-old's season is over.

Alexander Schlager is the next injured player.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The club didn't want to give any more details until after the operation, but it's a meniscus injury - so unfortunately Schlager has no chance of playing in the EURO opener against France in Düsseldorf on June 17. In the worst case scenario, Schlager could even face a month-long break.

Austria has never had such bad luck before a European Championship:

In2008 , "only" goalkeeper Helge Payer missed the home spectacle, but was still lucky in misfortune because the "partial occlusion of the veins" was recognized in time - otherwise there would have been danger to life.

In2016 , team boss Marcel Koller had all his key players on board, only Marc Janko and Aleks Dragovic were ailing and not fully fit.

And for EURO 2021 , captain Julian Baumgartlinger fought his way back from a cruciate ligament rupture in record time, making a brief appearance. However, the lightning comeback was not good for his knee.

And now? After the 6:1 against Turkey, Rangnick was dreading having to cancel players (keyword: "I don't have a rose for you") - now Austria's team boss will soon be sending out an SOS, he will no longer be spoiled for choice. "We can cope better with absences in some positions than in others. We don't have the width of France, Spain or Belgium," the German had always emphasized. Success at the EURO also depends on the core of the team. This is crumbling without goalkeeper Alex Schlager, defensive leader Alaba and midfield heart Xaver Schlager.

Pentz back as "one"
At least in goal, the alternative is clear: Patrick Pentz, currently in the most exciting title fight in Europe with Brøndby in Denmark (the top 4 are only separated by three points), will stand between the posts. The 27-year-old was already Rangnick's first choice at times in the Nations League. Tobias Lawal (LASK) and Niklas Hedl (Rapid) have now secured their Germany tickets as replacements.