On July 2nd, at 3 am tomorrow, the last 1/8 final match of the European Cup sees Austria facing Turkey. Ahead of the game, UEFA officially interviewed Austrian players Marko Arnautović and Marcel Sabitzer, both of whom spoke highly of their head coach Ralf Rangnick.
Sabitzer, a midfielder, said about his relationship with Rangnick, “We click well. On one hand, he gives us room for mistakes. On the other hand, his ambition and football philosophy perfectly align with our team. Over the years, you can see our progress because we have a clear plan and a lot of mutual trust – we will go farther together.”
Arnautović shared, “At first, it was a bit challenging for me because I had never played in such a high-pressing system before in my career. But from our first meeting, he made it clear that I was still important to the team, and our relationship has been great since then.”
Notably, UEFA also referred to Rangnick’s Euro 2020 coaching as a successful “case study.” UEFA commented, “The Austrian players believe that under the guidance of this influential coach, their European Championship adventure is far from over.”
“For those who have followed Rangnick’s career, this comes as no surprise. The 66-year-old coach is the father of counter-pressing tactics and is considered one of the most influential modern coaches. He is now reaping what he sowed at the club level in Austria.”