Criticism after the draw

Ralf Rangnick: “We played something”

Ralf Rangnick criticized his team's performance after the draw in Switzerland.

(Bild: AFP/Fabrice COFFRINI)

After the 1:1 draw against Switzerland, Ralf Rangnick was critical. Above all, the red-white-red performance in the first half of the match did not please the ÖFB team boss at all: "We played something!"

In the first half, his charges "played in second or third gear and never in fifth or sixth gear", Rangnick said in the ServusTV interview. No control of the game, losing the ball too quickly, discussions on the pitch - the German was not happy with a lot of things. 

There was also criticism of the defensive behavior. "A bit of pressing is like being a bit pregnant, it doesn't work," said Rangnick. His team was "in energy-saving mode": "That's not possible, not even in the last test match!"

"Looked like a home game"
 The ÖFB team showed a different face in the second half, with which the coach was satisfied. "It was better, we were more aggressive and had the game under control. It looked like a home game, Switzerland didn't have any more dangerous actions," analyzed Rangnick. Postscript: "But that doesn't mean we did everything right!"

The other voices:

Christoph Baumgartner (ÖFB goalscorer): "My confidence is very high, I'm in a good mood, I feel good. I have a good feeling for the situations at the moment, I'm pleased that I'm in form at the right time. Sick is the wrong word, there are days when you don't feel one hundred percent fit. That was the case for me, I wasn't at my usual energy level. But there's no need to worry, I'll use the three days off and then travel to Berlin in top shape. Even if not everything was perfect today, we didn't lose again."

Christoph Baumgartner scored again

(Bild: APA/KEYSTONE/GIAN EHRENZELLER)

Michael Gregoritsch (ÖFB striker): "It was a fair 1:1. Switzerland were a bit better in the first half, especially in the 20 minutes before the break. In the second half we controlled the game, in the end it looked like the pendulum would have tipped in our favor, but the draw is okay. We're all delighted, we've waited a long time for this, we're all like lions in a cage, we want to be let loose."

Gernot Trauner (ÖFB defender): "I'm fine, even better after 65 minutes of play. I've invested a lot in the last few weeks, I've always had little setbacks. I'm very happy with how things have gone over the last few days. I'm incredibly happy to be playing my first major tournament with the national team at the age of 32, so this is a very big thing for me."

Konrad Laimer (ÖFB midfielder): "It was definitely an intensive final test. Everyone knows what the Swiss can do. In the first half we didn't manage to get any good pressure, in the second half we pushed the opponent more into their half. All in all, it was a decent test. Now we have a few more days to catch our breath and then we can get going. We have such a strong dynamic in the team and enough self-confidence."

Konrad Laimer and Co. drew 1-1 with Switzerland in their last European Championship test.

(Bild: AFP)

Murat Yakin (Switzerland team manager): "We had to react patiently to the early deficit. We managed that well. We did well in defense in the first half, we didn't allow any more chances. We lacked a few solutions in attack. But our opponents were also well prepared for us."

Granit Xhaka (Switzerland captain): "We can be very satisfied with the first half. We haven't been this dominant for a long time - against a good opponent. We lacked a bit of concentration in the final third, our ball reception wasn't top, the final pass wasn't top. But that's what test matches are for, to develop further. Overall, it was a good performance."