Against Holland again

Franco Foda: ÖFB squad “a different team now”

Franco Foda (right)

(Bild: Mario Urbantschitsch)

Austria lost 2-0 to Holland at the EURO just three years ago, and many of the players will be involved in tomorrow's rematch. Franco Foda makes a comparison and says the ÖFB squad is "a different team now".

"Actually, I should be able to compare it well with 2021, but ..." Nevertheless, Franco Foda is struggling. "Half-full stadiums, the EURO in many countries, coronavirus, Holland had a home game," says Austria's former team boss, referring to the difficult circumstances. His team had started the tournament with a 3:1 win against North Macedonia and went to Amsterdam with a broad chest. Where Red-White-Red lost 2-0 to Oranje and ultimately had no chance.

(Bild: GEPA)

The VAR was called for an early Alaba foul on Dumfries - 0:1 (11th) by Depay from the penalty spot. Dumfries did the rest from a counter-attack. But it's not just the Inter international, now a club colleague of Arnautovic, who will be back tomorrow, 1104 days later, but also ten stars of the Oranje squad (see bolded list below). Six players from Austria's current EURO squad were also involved in 2021.

At the EURO 2021

Netherlands - Austria 2:0 (1:0)
Amsterdam Arena, Grinfeld, 15,243

Netherlands (3-5-2): Stekelenburg; de Vrij, de Ligt, Blind (64. Ake); Dumfries, de Roon (74. Gravenberch), Wijnaldum, Frenkie de Jong, van Aanholt (65. Wijndal); Depay (82. Luuk de Jong), Weghorst (64. Malen)
Austria (3-5-2): Bachmann; Hinteregger, Alaba, Dragovic (84. Lienhart); Lainer, Laimer (62. Grillitsch), Sabitzer, X. Schlager (84. Onisiwo), Ulmer; Gregoritsch (62. Kalajdzic), Baumgartner (70. Lazaro)

Goals: 1:0 (11.) Depay (penalty), 2:0 (67.) Dumfries.

They want revenge tomorrow! Foda is realistic and now speaks of a completely different Austrian team: "Laimer, Posch, Danso, Lienhart, Gregoritsch - they have all developed extremely well. Sabi has also gained huge experience. Marko was still in China back then and is now playing at a completely different level again - there's a different quality there. And Ralf Rangnick has also played his part." For Foda, the 3:1 against Poland was confirmation of this: "It was impressive how we bounced back after the 1:1."

Foda, now team manager of Kosovo, has of course watched all the Austria and Holland games at the EURO and says: "Holland have a lot of individual quality, they are particularly dangerous on the wings, so we have to survive a 1:1 situation. But they lack stability, they're not yet at 100 percent."

Foda's tip is 1:1
That's why Foda, who will be at the Olympiastadion tomorrow, is predicting a 1-1 draw, the definite ticket to the round of 16. Which they also got in 2021, but then narrowly failed against Italy. And now? "A lot depends on the opponent, a lot seems possible." Especially as he also raves about the EURO: "Full stadiums, all the teams are attack-minded, the European Championship is balanced. The atmosphere is incredible, that's what soccer thrives on. It gives us energy and we have to use it." What was hardly possible in 2021 ...