“A match of life or death.” The Austrian coach challenges Spain and draws inspiration from the spirit of the Algeria saga | sports

The Austrian national team is preparing for a heavy test against European champion Spain in the round of 32 of the World Cup, after exciting events in its last match in Kansas.

Austria coach Ralf Rangnick confirmed: “Our chances of winning are the least. If we face Spain 10 times, we may lose 7, 8, or even 9 matches, and we must make sure that this time it will not be the tenth match.”

After facing World Cup champion Argentina in the group stage, Austria will face a major challenge against its Spanish counterpart, which includes an abundance of the best players in the world and has kept a clean sheet in the World Cup so far.

Spain and Austria match

Austria faces a difficult task in the team’s first elimination match since the 1982 World Cup in Spain, but the team showed a fighting spirit that contributed to its exit in a thrilling 3-3 draw with Algeria in the last round of the group stage, and Rangnick is confident that his team will continue to perform fiercely, even though its chances remain the weakest against Spain.

The Austrian coach added: “All players must be at their best, and we excel technically and physically. We played against the world champions, and now we will face the European champions, and if we achieve a surprise, we may face Portugal and Cristiano Ronaldo in the next match.”

He continued in his statements, which were reported by the official website of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA): “We have nothing to lose against Spain, but we can gain a lot, and we must do our utmost as if it is a match of life or death. We must be fully prepared.”

The Austrian national team is preparing to face Spain in an atmosphere of euphoria after a draw with Algeria in Kansas in a historic confrontation in the World Cup, where Algeria advanced 3-2 with a Riyad Mahrez goal in the 93rd minute of regular time, before Sasha Kalajdzic equalized in the last moments.

Rangnick said: “I do not remember in my 40-year coaching career that I experienced such excitement, and I do not think it will be repeated for years. It was an amazing match.”

Rangnick concluded: “Regardless of our fate against Spain, whether we qualify or not, the confrontation with Algeria will remain the last 120 seconds stuck in the minds of the players and members of the technical staff, as well as the fans, whether in the stadium or on television.”