The European Championships kicked off this weekend, and the Austrian team, which is preparing for the tournament, played a warm-up match with Slovakia in the early hours of this morning in Beijing, and the two teams drew 0:0.
Shanghai Seaport foreigner Arnautovic returned from injury and produced two of the Austrian team's most threatening attacks of the match after coming on as a substitute in the 64th minute, with one of his shots hitting the post.
At one point in the pre-game conference, he lost control of his emotions
Arnautovic was present at the pre-match press conference for the game, where footage of him weeping became the center of attention in the Austrian media.
Emotional outbursts and emotional tears came when Arnautovic spoke of having to be separated from his family for long periods of time due to the new crown epidemic, "It's a very different life when I can't be with my family. I'm very emotional, I haven't seen my two children for months now and it's not easy. So I'm happy to be back in Austria and ready to pay it all at the European Championships to make this country good and my family good."
After facing the media and the camera and saying this, Arnautovic almost took a few minutes to calm down his excitement.
On the sidelines, Austria's head coach Fouda showed that he understands Arnautovic's feelings very well, "People always say that the players are all professionals, so it's necessary for them to be how they are. In fact, we are all ordinary people, everyone will have their own emotions."
Fouda also indicated that although the players don't have many chances to reunite with their families now due to the epidemic, he will still try to find a way to make it possible for us to meet our families again, "Families are very important for the players, and this gives us strength, which is needed at the European Championships and support."
Recovering from an injury, a threat as soon as he comes back
Although the separation from his family was heavy for Arnautovic, in this year's
China Super League (soccer league)
The striker, who performed a "hat-trick" in the first round, said that the start of the season was very active before he was injured in his own salon competition, "The time in our country is still very good, and we did a very good job of preparation. I'm completely healthy, practicing very hard, and although the league has only just started, there have been many warm-up matches beforehand that have put me in good shape."
Arnautovic is in
China Super League (soccer league)
In the fourth round, Harbor and
Changchun Yatai (soccer team)
of the competition in the thigh muscle strain, "Unfortunately this injury occurred in the first two weeks of the national team set, which made me miss the previous practice. But now I am now recovered and happy to be back again."
Previously at the Austrian team's practice camp in Bad Tazmanasdorf, the injured Arnautovic had been recovering and practicing alone. Last Friday, he finally started to participate in the full team practice.
Head coach Fouda showed optimism regarding Arnautovic's fitness and condition and organized his substitution in the warm-up match against Slovakia.
Arnautovic blatantly did not live up to our expectations, he is still one of the most threatening attacking players in the Austrian team, and quickly improved the team's attacking power in front of the field after entering the game. Fouda said after the game, "Arnautovic came on and showed his strength."
Entering in the 64th minute, hitting the post with a shot in the 69th minute, and then nearly breaking through in the 71st minute, Arnautovic showed that his previous muscle injury is now completely out of the question.
Expected to play in the European Championships as a starter
Arnautovic hopes that he can help the team in the Europa League, especially if he can score goals in the Europa League.
The current Austrian international, who has scored the most goals of any player (26 goals in 87 games), last scored for his national team in the UEFA Europa League against Ireland and Norway in November of the previous year, where Arnautovic dished out an assist in each of those two games.
Due to the epidemic and our entry policy, Arnautovic did not participate in the Austrian team's three matches this March
World Cup
European qualifiers, "These are the competitions that I get up in the early hours of the morning in my country to watch."
With Arnautovic missing consecutive Austrian competitions, he is now in demand with the
Bundesliga
Stuttgart's young striker Karaitz competed for the starting position.
The 2-meter tall Karaitz is fresh off of the
Bundesliga
With 16 goals in the season, the power is good and ranks sixth in the scorers' table. Karaitz has started all five of the Austrian team's games this year and has contributed three goals.
However, judging from Arnautovic's performance in more than 30 minutes of this game, he is still very hopeful to play in this year's European Championships as a starter as long as he is healthy.
Arnautovic was one of eight players in this Austrian team that had been involved in EURO 2016 and, despite finishing bottom of the group stage and failing to qualify, had held eventual winners Portugal to a 0:0 draw.
Speaking about the upcoming start of another European Championship, Arnautovic looked cautious, "Last time and this time we are a strong team. Of course our opponents in this group are also very strong, so it is necessary to go all out and take it seriously."
Joining Austria in Group C at this year's European Championships are the Netherlands, Ukraine and Northern Macedonia.
Austria group stage fixtures
(Beijing time)
June 14th 00:00 Austria vs North Macedonia
June 18 03:00 Netherlands vs Austria
June 22nd 00:00 Ukraine vs Austria
From：Weekly Shanghai Author：Yu Jiong
