Austria fans can now vote for their preferred starting lineup for Thursday's international against Israel. The team, managed by Ralf Rangnick, kicks off its new Nations League campaign with a home match at the Linzer Raiffeisen Arena at 20:45.
The vote is running via the Sky User Voting platform. It comes as the squad deals with several notable absences. Marko Arnautovic has ended his international career. David Alaba is currently without a club and is not in the squad. Marcel Sabitzer is taking a break, and Konrad Laimer is injured. LASK captain Horvath has been called up as a replacement for Laimer. Rangnick otherwise has a full squad to choose from for his preferred 4-2-3-1 formation.
Vote and Ticket Giveaway
The fan vote offers direct involvement in the selection debate. In parallel, Sky is running a ticket giveaway for Austria's second home game during this international break. On Sunday, 27 September, Austria hosts Kosovo. This is also a Nations League Group B fixture. The team will be looking to build momentum after a mixed run of results.
Austria currently sits second in World Cup qualifying with four points from three games. Their recent form reads two wins, one draw, and two losses from the last five outings. The most recent defeat was a 3-0 loss to Spain in early July. Alongside Laimer, Dejan Ljubičić, Florian Grillitsch, and Michael Svoboda are currently sidelined with injuries. The full injury list is available on our injuries page.
Rangnick and his team are now intensively preparing for the opener. The Austrian FA submitted its final bid concept on time last Monday. The team's upcoming schedule can be found in our fixtures. The clash with Israel is the first of two home games in four days, intended to set the tone for the season ahead.
Further reading: Sky Sport Austria
