The ÖFB captain has been working on his comeback since tearing his cruciate ligament in December. “We also have to be realistic with David: it would be a small miracle if he actually managed it,” said Rangnick on Monday evening about the 31-year-old’s possible participation in the tournament.
But he doesn’t rule out such a miracle with Alaba. “If anyone can do it, it’s David,” said Rangnick. “He’s doing everything for it. He really wants to play this EURO.” The ÖFB is in close contact with rehabilitation coach Martin Hämmerle, and his Vorarlberg colleague Martin Rinderer is also involved.
Alaba is currently completing his program in Madrid. The Real star is due to join his ÖFB colleagues for three days around the first home international match of the year on March 26th in Vienna against Turkey. “So far the rehab is going well. We have to wait and see everything else,” said Rangnick. “Of course we hope that David makes it. Basically he’s doing well. But it’s still too early to make a prognosis at this point. We just have to rely on the time factor a little more.”
The Austrians will play their first European Championship game against France on June 17th. Alaba suffered the injury on December 17th. Six months of rehabilitation time is the absolute minimum for a torn cruciate ligament.
Good exchange about Arnautovic
Marko Arnautovic had a less bad time. The star striker from Inter Milan will miss the coming weeks due to a muscle injury in his thigh. Rangnick spoke of a torn fiber, Inter officially said it was a strain. “We now have to make sure we get him fit for the EURO,” emphasized the team boss. After a “good conversation” with Inter’s sports director Piero Ausilio, Rangnick announced that an ÖFB delegation would travel to Italy. This could possibly take place this week. “We will fly to Milan to talk to those responsible at Inter and to develop a game plan on how we can take precautions in the future to ensure that he stays healthy afterwards.”
Arnautovic has repeatedly struggled with muscular injuries in recent months. The 34-year-old suffered his most recent injury on Saturday against his former club Bologna. The record team player is missing from the ÖFB tests against Slovakia (March 23) and Turkey. “We have to see how we can compensate for this as a team,” said Rangnick about the failures of Alaba and Arnautovic. But the German is aware of one thing: “We will not be able to replace David one-on-one either as captain or as an individual player.”
