Can David Alaba play in Linz? That’s why the chances increase

David Alaba has completed his first team training session in a month. The Real Madrid professional fully participated in the media-public part of the uniting of the Austrian national soccer team in Windischgarsten on Wednesday. A mission on Friday (8.45 p.m.) at the start of the European Championship qualifier in Linz against Azerbaijan is still almost impossible.

Three days later against Estonia, Alaba could get a few minutes of play. Andreas Ulmer was nominated.

Alaba suffered a muscle injury in his right rear thigh on February 21 in the Champions League against Liverpool (5-2). Since then, the 30-year-old has completed an intensive individual program. According to the Spanish sports newspaper “As”, the doctors at Real Madrid gave him the green light at the beginning of the week to start training with the ÖFB team – along with the recommendation to collect a few minutes of action on Monday in Linz against Estonia to get back into the rhythm of the game come.

Posch and Prass are also questionable

The healing process was better than expected at the beginning of the week, the ÖFB said on Wednesday. It’s not entirely out of the question that captain Alaba will be in the squad for Friday’s first international match of the year against Azerbaijan.

Stefan Posch and Alexander Prass, who are scheduled to play at right-back, are questionable for the game. Both did not train with the team on Wednesday. Sturm Graz man Prass worked individually, Bologna legionnaire Posch stayed at the hotel like the day before. According to ÖFB information, both are not one hundred percent fit.

Team boss Ralf Rangnick reacted by nominating left-back Ulmer. The Salzburg veteran was expected in Windischgarsten on Wednesday afternoon. The 37-year-old has played 31 international matches for Austria so far, but has never played under Rangnick. Ulmer is the 25th man in the ÖFB squad for the time being – and another option in the sparsely occupied left-back position.

For the Azerbaijan game, Maximilian Wöber, who works in the center of defense at Leeds United, appears to be on the left in the back four. Due to the imminent loss of Posch, Eindhoven legionnaire Phillipp Mwene could be used on the right, who would also have been an option on the opposite flank. The alternatives to Wöber are now Salzburg captain Ulmer and the Rapid youngster Jonas Auer, who was called up for the first time.