Michael Gregoritsch delivered the assist and then defended goalkeeper Alexander Schlager following Austria’s 1-0 victory over Ireland.
“I will write to him personally,” Michael Gregoritsch told an interviewer regarding public criticism directed at teammate Alexander Schlager after Austria secured promotion.
Schlager preserved the 1-0 scoreline in the closing stages of the match with a reflex save against Chiedozie Ogbene. The performance earned the goalkeeper the Man of the Match award and secured Austria’s return to the top tier of the UEFA Nations League.
“Alex is such an important part of the team, such an important part on the pitch,” Gregoritsch said, adding that the goalkeeper is one of his closest friends.
Following the final whistle, Gregoritsch addressed lingering criticism aimed at the national team’s goalkeeper in an interview with ORF. While he did not name specific individuals, the Austrian forward made clear that the remarks had not gone unnoticed within the squad.
“I don’t want to give anyone a platform, but there are some who are shooting pretty hard against Alex, and I will write to that person personally again,” Gregoritsch said.
The forward emphasized that Schlager’s performances in training and matches made the recognition well-deserved. “That he performs like that is wonderful, is no surprise, I have to be honest,” Gregoritsch said.
Austria’s lone goal arrived through a rehearsed combination between Gregoritsch and Sasa Kalajdzic. Following a corner kick, Gregoritsch headed the ball toward the center of the area, allowing Kalajdzic to finish from close range.
“It should be known by now that the two of us function quite well with the goals,” Gregoritsch said.
The win ensures Austria returns to League A, setting up upcoming fixtures against Europe’s top national teams. “Big teams are coming back to us in Austria and we have earned that,” Gregoritsch said.
Looking ahead to the concluding group match against Israel, Gregoritsch corrected an interviewer who referred to the fixture as a test match. Teamchef Ralf Rangnick announced that numerous changes would occur, but Gregoritsch maintained the competitive focus of the team.
“First of all, it is another competitive match that we want to win,” Gregoritsch said, emphasizing that squad changes do not turn the fixture into a friendly. “That is exactly right and that has nothing to do with a test match.”
