David Alaba participated in the entire training session and could be in the starting lineup for the playoff first leg on Thursday, which will decide promotion to League A of the Nations League against Serbia. The only current player in the squad missing from the ÖFB training was the injured Alexander Prass.

David Alaba Ready for Comeback in ÖFB Team

David Alaba played his 105th and most recent international match on November 21, 2023, in a friendly in Vienna against Germany (2-0). A month later, the Viennese suffered a complicated knee injury that forced him to take a 13-month break. In January, the 32-year-old made his comeback at Real Madrid. After subsequent adductor problems, he now also seems ready for the ÖFB team. "I feel very good," Alaba told APA over the weekend. "I am on a very good path to being back in top form soon." It would still take a little time to get into the rhythm and be able to play a game over 90 minutes every three days. Whether he would also play the second leg in Belgrade on Sunday if he plays in Vienna is uncertain. Team coach Ralf Rangnick had said last week that it was "not very likely" that his top star could play both games for the entire time.

Alexander Prass's Participation Questionable Due to Ankle Problems

Due to the absences of Kevin Danso and Stefan Posch (both with thigh injuries), Phillipp Mwene, Philipp Lienhart, Alaba, and Prass are likely to form the back four in the first leg. If Prass is not fit to play due to his ankle problems, Mwene would move to the left side, and Stefan Lainer could take over the right-back position. According to ÖFB information, Prass was not on the field on Tuesday for training management reasons. If Alaba does not play both games, Gernot Trauner is the first alternative. The 32-year-old made his comeback for Feyenoord Rotterdam over the weekend after a multi-week injury break, but according to Rangnick, he also cannot be "fully" planned for both matches. However, he completed the 1 hour and 15-minute session at the Rapid training center along with his 22 colleagues.

Open Position in ÖFB Team's Central Midfield

In defensive midfield, the position next to Nicolas Seiwald is open due to Konrad Laimer's yellow card suspension. Rangnick could pull back one of his offensive players, Christoph Baumgartner and Patrick Wimmer. Baumgartner, who will be honored as Austria's Footballer of the Year 2024 before kickoff on Thursday, has recently helped out in the number six role alongside Seiwald at RB Leipzig. Wimmer has also played multiple times in the midfield center for Wolfsburg - albeit slightly further forward. In attack, Marko Arnautovic seems set. Additionally, Baumgartner, Wimmer, and Romano Schmid could feature in the offense. If one from the trio moves to the midfield center following Marcel Sabitzer's absence, Michael Gregoritsch could be considered as a second striker. Kevin Stöger is also an option, but he has never started for the ÖFB team. Florian Grillitsch can only expect an outsider chance for a starting lineup appearance.

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(APA/Red)

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