Euro 2024 team guide and best bets: Austria
Few teams come into Euro 2024 in better shape than Austria, who are a team revitalised under Ralf Rangnick. But how far will they progress?
We've rounded up everything you need to know about Rangnick's men in this comprehensive team guide, which features tactical analysis, players to watch out for, predicted line-ups, betting tips and much more.
How Austria qualified for Euro 2024
Austria secured passage to a third consecutive European Championships with a comfortable second-place finish in Group F during qualifying.
They trailed leaders Belgium by just one point and finished nine points clear of third-place Sweden, meaning their place at this summer's finals rarely looked in doubt.
With just one loss to their name, Das Team also registered three clean sheets in their eight qualifying matches with four of their seven goals conceded coming against the group winners.
Goals were well spread across the team, with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marcel Sabitzer leading the way on four strikes, one ahead of teammates Christoph Baumgartner and Michael Gregoritsch.
Austria's squad for Euro 2024
Austria announced a full 26-man squad for the tournament on June 7th, 2024:
Goalkeepers: Niklas Hedl (Rapid Wien), Heinz Lindner (Union SG), Patrick Pentz (Brøndby)
Defenders: Flavius Daniliuc (Salzburg), Kevin Danso (Lens), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Stefan Posch (Bologna), Leopold Querfeld (Rapid Wien), Gernot Trauner (Feyenoord), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg), Maximilian Wöber (Mönchengladbach)
Midfielders: Christoph Baumgartner (Leipzig), Florian Grillitsch (Hoffenheim), Marco Grüll (Rapid Wien), Florian Kainz (Köln), Konrad Laimer (Bayern München), Alexander Prass (Sturm Graz), Marcel Sabitzer (Dortmund), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Matthias Seidl (Rapid Wien), Nicolas Seiwald (Leipzig)
Forwards: Marko Arnautović (Inter), Maximilian Entrup (Hartberg), Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg), Andreas Weimann (West Brom)
Austria's predicted starting XI for Euro 2024
Austria's star player - Christoph Baumgartner
With captain David Alaba ruled out of the tournament through an anterior cruciate ligament injury, extra emphasis is placed on the rest of the squad to step up and deliver.
One man who has impressed at club level this season has been RB Leipzig’s Christoph Baumgartner. The 24 year-old was a key cog in Leipzig qualifying for next season’s Champions League, while his versatility will also come in very handy for Rangnick.
Though he is traditionally regarded as an attacking midfielder, Baumgartner featured on both wings for the German side and is also capable as a second striker.
His maiden season with his current employers saw a solid return of five goals and three assists, while he has already scored 13 times for his country — including three during Euro 2024 qualifying.
Baumgartner has also featured in a European Championship before, scoring the winner in his country’s 1-0 win over Ukraine in the group stage three years ago.
Austria's one to watch - Alexander Prass
Promising 22-year-old Alexander Prass might only have four caps to his name heading into the tournament but is certainly turning heads in the Austrian Bundesliga.
In his third season in his native top-flight, Prass arrives off the back of an outstanding campaign which saw him chip in with seven goals for league winners Sturm Graz.
Predominantly playing on the left of midfield, Prass is more than comfortable drifting into central areas where his strong physicality coupled with an exquisite eye for a pass helps progresses his side in both attacking and defensive phases.
He has also featured at left-back for both club and country, providing further precious versatility for a team already hindered by long-term injuries to star players in Alaba and Xaver Schlager.
Having now shone at club level for three straight seasons, this summer could be the catalyst for Prass testing himself in one of the continent's leading divisions.
Austria's manager - Ralf Rangnick
Rangnick was appointed as Austria manager back in April 2022 and has since overseen qualification for the country's fourth ever European Championships.
After a shaky start that brought just one win in six games, a 3-2 loss to Belgium in their penultimate qualifier ended an eight-match unbeaten streak and was their only defeat throughout their entire qualifying campaign.
Rangnick’s coaching career began in his hometown of Backnang in a player-coaching role, before taking up a similar position with VfB Stuttgart’s reserves.
He eventually took charge of the senior squad at Stuttgart and, despite a three-year hiatus in the German second division, established himself as a manager in Germany’s top-flight with Schalke 04, Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig.
His time with Schalke saw him capture the Dfb Pokal and DFL Super Cup, while he also finished runners-up in the Pokal again with both Schalke and Leipzig.
A brief unsuccessful stint as Manchester United interim manager did little to harm his reputation and, despite initially agreeing to stay on in a consultancy role, he later took the decision to take charge of the Austrian national team instead.
Rangnick is often credited with coining ‘gegenpressing’ — a tactical approach which sees a side immediately seek to regain possession of the ball after losing it — and has subsquently seen his style adopted in the approaches of high-profile managers such as Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Austria's Euro 2024 betting odds
Austria to win EURO 2024 - 80/1
Austria to reach the Euro 2024 final - 28/1
Austria to win Group C - 8/1
Austria top goalscorer - Michael Gregoritsch - 3/1, Marko Arnautovic - 6/1, Christoph Baumgartner - 8/1, 10/1 BAR
*All best UK prices as of 30/05/24
Analysis and best bets for Austria at Euro 2024
Expert analysis from Odds Now's Bradley Walker:
"Austria find themselves in a highly-competitive Group D alongside France, the Netherlands and Poland.
"However, with the four best third-placed sides entering the knockout stages, Rangnick’s men have a strong chance of at least reaching the last-16.
"Even factoring in impressive recent results, it is hard to see Austria finishing first or second due to France and Netherlands' superior quality all over the pitch. That said, they look to be in better shape than fellow outsiders Poland.
"Of course, their fate would depend heavily on the performance of teams in other groups, but a win in that match could well leave them in a strong position to progress.
"Given Poland barely scraped through the play-offs to secure a spot in Germany this summer, I’d back Austria to bag three vital points against their neighbours to secure a knockout spot."
Brad's Best Bet:
Austria to qualify from Group D - 19/20