June 28, (THEWILL) – Four Austria defenders missed team training on Friday, raising concerns ahead of their crucial last-16 clash with Turkey, next Tuesday. Gernot Trauner and Phillipp Mwene were completely absent due to a thigh injury and head cold respectively, whilst Philipp Lienhart and Leopold Querfeld trained individually. This comes as Austria prepare for their first-ever potential penalty shootout at a major tournament.
Midfielder, Florian Grillitsch, highlighted the team’s focus on penalty practice, revealing that during Friday’s training session, every goal had to be “confirmed” by a successful spot-kick. However, he acknowledged the difficulty in recreating the pressure of a real shootout scenario.
The defensive setbacks follow Austria’s impressive 3-2 victory over the Netherlands on Tuesday, which saw them top their group. The team enjoyed a day off on Thursday before resuming serious preparations on Friday, with an added emphasis on penalty-taking skills.
A win against Turkey would propel Austria into a quarter-final matchup against either Romania or a rematch with the Netherlands. The team’s recent form has been encouraging, but the potential absence of key defenders could pose challenges in the knockout stages.
As Euro 2024 progresses, Austria finds itself balancing injury management with tactical preparations, all while facing the novel prospect of a potential penalty shootout. The coming days will be crucial in determining their readiness for the high-stakes encounter with Turkey.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
