Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 18/25
Bookmaker: Luckster
Austria will welcome Serbia on Thursday evening, aiming to get a foothold in the first leg of their playoff tie for a place in Group A of the UEFA Nations League.
The Austrians earned their spot in the playoffs by finishing second in Group B3, ending the campaign ahead of Slovenia and Kazakhstan, with only group winners Norway finishing above them.
Austria
Austria went unbeaten at home during the group stage, securing convincing victories over both Norway and Kazakhstan and sharing the points with Slovenia.
Their only setback came in an away loss to Norway, which ultimately proved decisive, as the Norwegians finished two points ahead to clinch automatic promotion to League A.
Austria will look to carry their strong group-stage form into Thursday’s playoff clash with Serbia, particularly building on their impressive home goal-scoring record. In three home fixtures, they outscored their opponents by a combined 10-2, with the standout result being a commanding 5-1 win over eventual group winners Norway.
Their Nations League success followed a respectable showing at Euro 2024, where Austria surprised many by topping a group featuring France, Poland, and the Netherlands. However, their journey ended in the round of 16, with a loss to Turkey. Since then, they have bounced back with solid Nations League performances, giving them a shot at reaching League A for only the second time.
Team News
Austria’s squad is bolstered by the returns of David Alaba and Xaver Schlager from injury. On the downside, Leeds United’s Maximilian Wober misses out due to a knee issue, while Stefan Posch and Kevin Danso are sidelined with thigh injuries.
Raul Florucz could make his debut after receiving a first national team call-up, though Konrad Laimer is unavailable through suspension.
Serbia
Serbia endured a challenging Group A4 campaign, managing just one win from six matches against tough opposition in Spain, Switzerland, and Denmark.
Despite their struggles, they avoided automatic relegation by finishing four points clear of Switzerland and came just two points shy of Denmark, while Spain dominated the group with 16 points.
Their only victory in their last nine outings came with a 2-0 win over Switzerland in October, and they went winless throughout Euro 2024 — a worrying trend heading into this playoff.
Serbia’s away form is also a concern, with just two wins in their last nine matches on the road (excluding neutral Euro 2024 fixtures). Despite these setbacks, Dragan Stojkovic remains at the helm, but pressure is mounting; relegation to League B could force the Serbian FA to reconsider his position.
Austria will take confidence from recent meetings with Serbia, including a 2-1 friendly win last June and a 3-2 victory in a World Cup qualifier back in October 2017.
Team News
Serbia will be without their star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic due to ongoing health issues. Ivan Ilic (illness) and Nemanja Gudelj (doubt) further weaken their squad.
Defensively, they are without key players Nikola Milenkovic and Strahinja Pavlovic (both suspended), along with Andrija Zivkovic and Aleksa Terzic.
There could be opportunities for debuts from Zenit’s Ognjen Mimovic and FK Cukaricki’s promising young forward Mihajlo Cvetkovic as Stojkovic reshuffles his depleted squad.
Conclusion
Despite Serbia currently competing in the higher tier of the Nations League, Austria hold the advantage in the FIFA world rankings, sitting 22nd – 10 places ahead of their visitors in 32nd.
That gap highlights Austria’s steady progression under Rangnick, and they will be eager to assert their superiority and take control of this tie on home soil.
With a challenging second leg awaiting them in Belgrade, Austria will know the importance of making their home advantage count, especially against a Serbia side dealing with suspensions, injuries, and patchy form.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 18/25
Bookmaker: Luckster
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