Joke with Laimer

Rangnick: “Then you know what to do”

Konrad Laimer (left), team boss Ralf Rangnick(Bild: GEPA)

"Then you know what to do," joked team boss Ralf Rangnick on Sunday evening at the final press conference before the game against France. A flirtatious reference to Rangnick's acquaintance with the Düsseldorf stadium, where the game will be played on Monday.

The background: 27 January 2019, when Fortuna Düsseldorf were playing in the German Bundesliga. Their opponents in the Merkur-Spiel-Arena, the venue for Austria v France on Monday: RB Leipzig with head coach Ralf Rangnick and Konrad Laimer in the starting line-up. The latter, now a permanent fixture in Rangnick's ÖFB team, shone in Leipzig's 4:0 away win with a goal - assisted by Marcel Sabitzer - and an assist. "I was just telling Conny (Laimer, editor's note) about that game back then when I went in. And I told him: 'Then you know what to do tomorrow'," joked the team boss to Laimer, who was also sitting on the podium at the press conference.

Konrad Laimer(Bild: APA)

"Still have the ambition"
So the mood seems to be right ahead of Austria's opening match against France. And the anticipation "outweighs everything", said Rangnick: "Nevertheless, we have the ambition to progress in this group." Even if it's against the runners-up in the World Cup, "the nation with the best top and the best width", as Rangnick explained.

Captain question unanswered
What's important here? "We have to play at the upper limit, be courageous and play to our strengths." And Rangnick won't have anything against a goal and an assist from Konrad Laimer against France either. Incidentally, the team boss left it open as to whether Laimer will play as captain against the French. "Conny will play. But the fact that he's sitting here at the press conference doesn't mean he'll be captain."