Austria name their 29-man provisional squad for Euro 2024, but what players have made the cut and who has missed out?
Austria manager Ralf Rangnick has selected his 29-player preliminary squad for Euro 2024.
UEFA confirmed earlier this month that squad sizes have been increased from 23 to 26 players for this year’s eagerly-anticipated continental tournament, and all squads must include at least three goalkeepers.
However, most nations are taking the approach of initially selecting a group of players that exceeds the squad limits with friendlies planned beforehand.
Here, Sports Mole takes a look at the Austria players that have been selected, and which players have missed out on being in contention for the tournament in Germany, which begins next month.
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Which Austrian stars have been selected?
Rangnick has only been able to select three players for his Austria squad who have earned more than 50 caps, with Marcel Sabitzer, Marko Arnautovic and Michael Gregoritsch meeting that criteria.
Midfielders Konrad Laimer and Christoph Baumgartner will also have major parts to play, while Maximilian Wober, wthe Borussia Monchengladbach loanee who is contracted to Leeds United, is a key figure in defence.
As a result of an injury that we will mention later, Heinz Lindner is now the senior goalkeeper in the ranks. The other three members of that department have just six caps between them.
As many as 11 members of the 29-player group have earned nine caps or fewer.
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Which Austrian stars will miss Euro 2024?
David Alaba may have been selected as a non-playing captain, but the Real Madrid defender remains sidelined with the knee injury that he suffered in December.
Red Bull Salzburg goalkeeper Alexander Schlager and RB Leipzig midfielder Xaver Schlager have also each sustained knee injuries and will miss the tournament.
What are Austria’s pre-tournament plans?
Fixtures against Serbia and Switzerland will take place on June 4 and June 8 respectively. Rangnick is required to reduce his squad numbers by June 7.
Austria have been drawn in a group alongside France, Poland and Netherlands, their first fixture scheduled for June 17.
Austria’s 29-player provisional squad in full
Goalkeepers: Niklas Hedl (Rapid Vienna), Tobias Lawal (LASK Linz), Heinz Lindner (Union Saint-Gilloise), Patrick Pentz (Brondby)
Defenders: Flavius Daniliuc (Red Bull Salzburg), Kevin Danso (Lens), Stefan Lainer (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Philipp Lienhart (Freiburg), Phillipp Mwene (Mainz), Stefan Posch (Bologna), Leopold Querfeld (Rapid Vienna), Gernot Trauner (Feyenoord), Maximilian Wober (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
Midfielders: Thierno Ballo (Wolfsberg), Christoph Baumgartner (RB Leipzig), Florian Grillitsch (Hoffenheim), Marco Grull (Rapid Vienna), Florian Kainz (Cologne), Konrad Laimer (Bayern Munich), Alexander Prass (Sturm Graz), Marcel Sabitzer (Borussia Dortmund), Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen), Matthias Seidl (Rapid Vienna), Nicolas Seiwald (RB Leipzig), Patrick Wimmer (Wolfsburg)
Forwards: Marko Arnautovic (Inter Milan), Maximilian Entrup (Hartberg), Michael Gregoritsch (Freiburg), Andreas Weimann (West Bromwich Albion)