Alexander Schlager, Stefan Posch, Philipp Lienhart, Xaver Schlager, Christoph Baumgartner, Marco Friedl and Sasa Kalajdzic were there for the European Championship premiere for an Austrian U21 team in Italy in 2019, when after a strong game against Germany (1-1 ) had drawn the short straw as a third party in the group. Four of them were only in the starting line-up in the 0-1 test in England on Thursday.
The newly formed U21 squad could have just as much influence on the A-Team in a few years’ time, as Yusuf Demir, Thierno Ballo, Romano Schmid, Junior Adamu or Flavius Daniliuc have some talents in the team of coach Werner Gregoritsch.
Last test for U21 national team before European Championship qualification
The U21 national team is currently preparing in Burgenland for the last friendly against Slovakia before the European Championship qualification. The team under coach Werner Gregoritsch is one of the group favorites.
“A very exciting year in which the next national players are definitely there in every area. We have good central defenders and a lot of creativity in the offensive area. The first two games made us want more, ”said ÖFB sports director Peter Schöttel when asked by ORF.at. The first tests in March ended very well with a 10-0 win against Saudi Arabia and a 2-0 win against Poland.
Demir is recommended in U21
Yusuf Demir, who made his A-team debut in World Cup qualification, was not there at the time. It was a short assignment against the Faroe Islands, which mainly served to secure the 18-year-old jewel for the next three years for the ÖFB. If he does not play for the senior team again during this period, he could change associations again in accordance with FIFA regulations. The EM apparently came too early for the son of Turkish parents, who had scored six “Joker” goals for Rapid 2020/21.
In the U21, however, he can recommend himself twice more. Because a year before the end of the contract, a financially lucrative departure of the 18-year-old for Rapid, who is compared to Lionel Messi with regard to his ball handling, is obvious. The interest in talent is enormous across Europe.
The 19-year-old Thierno Ballo already plays for a top club, but still in the offspring, namely in the U23 of Champions League winners Chelsea. The offensive player has been considered a hopeful talent who is making his way for a number of years.
Ballo finally to London via Linz
Ballo’s mother comes from Guinea, his birthplace is Abidjan (Ivory Coast), where his father comes from. Today’s offensive player grew up in Linz, where sponsor Peter Huemerlehner took on a decisive role and has accompanied him to this day. Ballo is always years ahead of his teammates, which is why he made his debut in the U17 national team at the age of fourteen.
Ballo, who attracted the interest of other countries and who committed to Austria just as early (“I made a clear decision and won’t play for any other country”), first played in the LASK youth team, before joining Bayer Leverkusen and finally via (Viktoria) Cologne, where Huemerlehner also worked, went to Chelsea. There he already trained in the fighting team, both under Frank Lampard and his successful successor Thomas Tuchel.
Exactly on his 16th birthday shortly after the turn of the year 2017/18, Ballo signed a contract with the “Blues” and most recently played in the U23, where he scored seven goals and four assists in 21 games. The English team players Mason Mount and Reece James, who as former U23 players only won the Champions League on Saturday, showed that this can be a successful path.
How the reluctant youngster will continue in the new season is still open and should be clarified after the course. A loan, possibly also to Germany, could serve as a transition to play a season in professional football for the first time.
Daniliuc has seen a lot
Flavius Daniliuc has spared this behind him. The defender has been playing for OGC Nice in Ligue 1 since last summer and made 26 appearances in Ligue 1 in his first professional season. The 20-year-old captain of the U21s, who started his career with Admira, was already in the offspring of Real Madrid and many years at Bayern Munich before the change came in 2020.
All observers describe the French legionnaire as particularly mature for his age. In any case, he used the coronavirus pandemic wisely and gained seven kilograms of muscle mass in the past year.
Romano Schmid, the first player born after 2000 to score in the Bundesliga, has also taken further steps forward. The offensive player was relegated with Werder Bremen, but matured in his game. David Nemeth, loaned to Sturm Graz by Mainz, has shown that Salzburg brought striker Junior Adamu back from St. Gallen from the Swiss Super League for a reason.
Last test before EM qualification
The last test before the European Championship qualification is on the program in Ritzing on Thursday, Gregoritsch was satisfied with the preparation for it. “The team is toxic and highly motivated. The players give full throttle in every training session. That makes me very confident that we will have a good game against Slovakia, which I rate very well, ”said the team boss.
The Styrian will give one or the other a break. “There are players who were still in the championship until Sunday, others already had a few days off. I will of course take that into account. But I am convinced that every player who will be used shows that he belongs in the U21 team. “
For the first time in over a year and a half, spectators will be present at an U21 game, and that also applies to the European Championship qualifying start on Tuesday against Estonia in Ried. The other opponents for a ticket for the finals in Romania and Georgia in 2023 are Croatia, Norway, Finland and Azerbaijan. There is more lack of a clear top favorite than ÖFB self-confidence, because the young team has set itself the goal of first place.
