Austria's EM opponents

The power of passion – Turkey can only do drama

Now team boss Montella is loved by the Turks again.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Turkey team boss Vincenzo Montella between hate and love - the Italian has to calm down the hot-tempered and names the recipe against Austria.

The "Krone" reports from Leipzig

No nation, not even EURO hosts Germany, brought as many of their "own" fans to the stadiums in the preliminary round as Turkey, namely 130,000. Today, Rangnick's troops must be prepared for a roaring whistle every time they touch the ball. "Our fans only make for home games," said striker Cenk Tosun.

The Turkish fans(Bild: GEPA pictures)

No wonder, almost three million people of Turkish origin live in Germany, and every victory is celebrated ecstatically with car parades, honking concerts and waving crescent flags. Also by the press. After the 0:2 against Portugal, team boss Vincenzo Montella, who had only been in office since October, was destroyed by the media. After reaching the round of 16, the journalists themselves wanted to take private photos with the Italian.

Great passion is a Turkish weapon, but also a danger. Ten players are out today, with superstar Hakan Calhanoglu and defender Samet Akaydin missing through yellow cards. "We have to keep a cool head," pleaded Montella. But Turkey can only do drama.

It's reminiscent of EURO 2008, when they turned a 0:2 against the Czech Republic into a 3:2, and also eliminated Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals in Vienna after equalizing in minute 122 (!). However, the semi-final in 2008 was the last Turkish exclamation mark, the last knockout game. The euphoria is correspondingly high now.

ÖFB team "like a club"
 "They have such good mechanisms, are so well-rehearsed that it looks like a club," Montella enthuses about Austria. But he believes he knows what's important today - his approach: "Watch out for the pressing, especially in the first 25 minutes. The duels in midfield are important. No risky passes. Austria play very hard - stay calm. Our priority is the defense, then we have to get behind their defense with long balls." Sounds simple, but it's complicated against our team ...

... just like Montella's rotations. The Italian says: "I don't believe in formations, only in strategies." He has even changed the goalkeeper at the EURO. Vienna-born Mert Müldür will start today. As will Real's young star Arda Güler. Otherwise the Turks will go berserk. Fans and journalists.