In Vienna, the match that no one would have wanted to see. Not even in Austria
The heat of Doha contrasted with the freezing of Vienna is not just a climatic condition. It’s the perfect metaphor for a national team that tonight finds itself playing a game that exists, but no one would have wanted there to be. Not even Austria. If in Albania at least there was the enthusiasm of a land which – to paraphrase Reja – is a rib of Italy, here disappointment reigns supreme. Because even the non-presence of Austria is news, albeit less noisy.
Then playing on the day of Qatar-Ecuador, a handful of hours after the opening ceremony and match, is like a finger in the sore. “But it’s useless to keep talking about it”, the coach said yesterday. In these days he would have just wanted to disappear from Mancio and then re-emerge in a few months. Come a Phoenix Arab. And instead he is forced by commitments already made by the Federation to this double round of friendlies which, for heaven’s sake, will also serve to make interesting tactical tests. But for the timing, he only sharpens the pain for what it should have been and isn’t.
At the Ernst-Happel-Stadion there will be many empty spaces. The former Praterstadion renamed in 1992 to pay homage to the best Austrian player-coach can seat over 50,000 people, but only 17,000 tickets had been sold as of last night. There’s disinterest, there’s a climate that doesn’t help, there doesn’t seem to be a desire for football that doesn’t count. Then that Mancini and Rangnick try to make these tests useful for 2023 this is another matter, but the here and now tells another story. Tale of teams and coaches who can’t wait for you to arrive tonight. May the spotlights above their heads soon go out and then go home.
Without seeing the World Cup, they say, but who knows if it will really be like this. It’s hard to believe him because the World Cup is the most important event for football enthusiasts. It is the event that marks the stages of our lives and always marks them, whether you want it or not. Even when you’re not there.