The diagnosis is in
Bad news! Christoph Baumgartner to miss World Cup
Bitter news for Austria’s national soccer team! As the ÖFB announced a day after the friendly against Tunisia, Christoph Baumgartner suffered a muscle injury in his right thigh during warm-ups. The forward will therefore miss the World Cup in the U.S.
The RB Leipzig forward was injured on Monday while warming up for the World Cup dress rehearsal against Tunisia (1-0) and will miss the tournament. The ÖFB announced this on Tuesday following an MRI scan. Head coach Ralf Rangnick is expected to nominate a replacement player later this week.
At the “peak” of his career
Baumgartner had impressed for Leipzig last season with 17 goals and nine assists in competitive matches. The 26-year-old said he was at the “peak” of his career, as he put it last week. In the ÖFB’s offense, the Lower Austrian is considered a key player who will be difficult to replace.
“This is, of course, very bitter news for Christoph and for us as a team. He is an important player and a central figure within our squad. Now our full support goes out to him as he recovers,” head coach Ralf Rangnick is quoted as saying in a statement from the federation.
Words of comfort also came from Leipzig. “Baumi is not only an outstanding player for us, but also an important figure in our team,” emphasized sporting director Marcel Schäfer. “On top of that, he’s a true fighter, and we’re convinced that he’ll overcome this setback with his positive attitude and strong mental fortitude.” Baumgartner was Leipzig’s top scorer last season. His contract with the third-place team runs through 2028.
“Baumi” was missing from the starting lineup
According to the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB), Baumgartner felt a sharp pain in his hip flexor area while taking a shot during warm-ups for Monday’s friendly against Tunisia in Vienna. Rangnick subsequently removed the Lower Austrian from the starting lineup and replaced him with Michael Gregoritsch. On Tuesday morning, Baumgartner underwent further examinations that revealed the extent of the injury. It remains unclear exactly how long Baumgartner will be sidelined. However, a return at a later stage of the World Cup is not possible.
“The next steps regarding a replacement in the World Cup squad are currently being coordinated internally. The ÖFB will provide separate information on this in due course,” the association stated.
All clear for Alaba
David Alaba, who was substituted at halftime against Tunisia due to injury, can breathe a sigh of relief. The MRI scan revealed no muscle injury, and the captain will board the flight to California on Thursday as planned.
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