The Austrian national football team hosts the Republic of Ireland in Linz on Saturday evening in the UEFA Nations League, aiming for a victory that could secure promotion back to League A. Kickoff at the Raiffeisen Arena is scheduled for 20.45 local time, with live coverage on ORF1, according to sport.ORF.at.
A group victory is worth 1.5 million euros, while the entry bonus for League A stands at 2.25 million euros—750,000 euros higher than the payout for League B, sport.ORF.at reported. Finishing top would return Austria to the top tier for the autumn 2028 tournament for the first time since 2022.
The team has conceded at least one goal in each of its last eight international matches, an issue Rangnick addressed in his pre-match comments. However, Austria remains unbeaten in 16 home games and has scored in its last 28 home fixtures, both standing as association records.
“Die Iren haben es gegen uns mannschaftstaktisch richtig gutgemacht, daraus wollen wir die richtigen Schlüsse ziehen und die richtigen Antworten geben,” explained Rangnick on Friday, referencing a previous encounter in Dublin where Austria recovered from a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2 after a slow start.
Injuries Rule Out Schlager and Prass from Starting Lineup
Rangnick faces a depleted roster following late injuries to key personnel. Xaver Schlager and Alexander Prass both suffered thigh muscle injuries during training, ruling them out despite being slated for the starting lineup. David Alaba, Paul Wanner, Carney Chukwuemeka, and Patrick Wimmer were also previously ruled out.
“Sie waren Kandidaten für die Startelf. Dass sie ausfallen, war überraschend, zumal es im Training kein Vorfall gegeben hat, aus dem man schließen konnte, dass es eine Verletzung gibt,” said Rangnick.
Despite the setbacks, 19-year-old midfielder Yanik Spalt received a late call-up after earning minutes with VfB Stuttgart in the German Bundesliga and the Champions League. Meanwhile, Christoph Baumgartner is expected to feature in his first international appearance since March. Rangnick indicated that Alexander Schlager will start in goal, while Konrad Laimer takes the captain’s armband in the absence of David Alaba.
Ticket Prices Start at 48 Euros for Linz Fixture
For supporters attending the fixture in Linz, ticket sales are managed through OETicket, the official ticketing partner of the Austrian Football Association, as reported by Goal.com. Standard regular seats at the Raiffeisen Arena begin at 48 euros, while secondary ticket platforms list available entries starting around 269 euros for sold-out sections.
Across their last four head-to-head matches, neither side has dominated, with one win apiece and two stalemates.
Austria Plays Israel in Debrecen on Tuesday
Following Saturday’s fixture in Linz, Austria concludes its group schedule on Tuesday with an away match against Israel in Debrecen, scheduled for a 20.45 kickoff.
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