Sports Mole previews Tuesday’s friendly clash between Austria and Turkey, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Looking to make it back-to-back wins during this month’s international period, Austria will welcome Turkey to Ernst-Happel-Stadion on Tuesday night for a friendly clash.
Das Team recorded a 2-0 success over Slovakia earlier in the international break, whilst the Crescent Stars were unable to earn a result versus Hungary.
Match preview
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Kicking off their 2024 campaign in style, Austria produced a classy performance in Bratislava to secure a two-goal victory over Slovakia, with goals either side of half-time interval from Christoph Baumgartner and West Bromwich Albion’s Andreas Weimann sealing a comfortable result.
Saturday’s success in Slovakia made it three-straight wins by a 2-0 scoreline for Das Team stretching back into last year’s November international break, when Austria managed standout results versus Estonia and Julian Nagelsmann‘s Germany side to end 2023 on a significant high.
Following a difficult spell in charge at Manchester United, German Ralf Rangnick is at the wheel of the Austrian national team as they head towards this summer’s European Championships in the 65-year-old homeland, where they will face the Netherlands and France in a tricky-looking section.
Das Team have only lost one of their last seven home matches across all competitions stretching back to September 2022, when goals from Real Madrid’s Luka Modric, Marko Livaja and former Liverpool man Dejan Lovren sentenced the hosts to a Nations League defeat at Ernst-Happel-Stadion.
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Having taken charge of Turkey in the middle of September, Italian Vincenzo Montella suffered his first defeat as boss on Friday night, when a Hungary side preparing for Euro 2024 secured a victory in front of their passionate supporters at Puskas Arena in Budapest.
On the hunt for a treble-winning campaign with Jurgen Klopp‘s Liverpool, Hungary’s star man Dominik Szoboszlai held his nerve from 12 yards out to beat Mert Gunok in net, sentencing the Crescent Stars to their first loss since the 4-2 defeat against Japan on September 12.
After failing to earn a place in the highly-controversial 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Turkey were convincing winners of Group D in last year’s Euro qualifying, winning five and collecting 17 points from eight contests in the section, finishing ahead of Rob Page‘s Wales in third by five points.
The two nations have only met once in the last decade, and it was the Crescent Stars who came out on top of a friendly clash between the sides at Tuesday’s venue ahead of Euro 2016, with goals from Hakan Calhanoglu and then-Barcelona star Arda Turan sealing a 2-1 win on the road.
Austria friendly form:
Austria form (all competitions):
Turkey friendly form:
Turkey form (all competitions):
Team News
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A major concern for Austria ahead of this summer’s Euros is the fitness of David Alaba, with the Real Madrid star out for the remainder of the club season due to a cruciate ligament injury.
After being subbed off at half time last time out, Konrad Laimer and Florian Grillitsch should be fully rested to start back-to-back matches during this international window.
West Brom’s Weimann could be rewarded with a start following his goal against Slovakia, and the same can be said of Werder Bremen’s Romano Schmid, who provided the assist for the 32-year-old.
Turkey are expected to be without the services of Ridvan Yilmaz on Tuesday night, with the Rangers full-back being forced off after just 27 minutes versus Hungary.
Head coach Montella has spoken of his desire to use Tuesday’s match as an opportunity to provide some young players with vital experience on the international stage, meaning that the likes of Can Uzun and Arda Guler could be promoted from the bench for this one.
Austria possible starting lineup:
Pentz; Lainer, Querfeld, Danso, Mwene; Seiwald, Grillitsch, Laimer, Baumgartner, Sabitzer; Weimann
Turkey possible starting lineup:
Gunok; Celik, Akaydin, Kabak; Muldur; Guler, Uzun, Akgun, Kokcu, Yildiz; Unal
We say: Austria 1-0 Turkey
Following a resounding success in Slovakia, Austria will be confident of making it back-to-back March victories on home soil against Turkey.
The Crescent Stars have struggled on the road recently, so we are expecting successive defeats for Montella’s men.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
