Article by Remus Dinu – published on Saturday, 07 June 2025, 02:25 / Updated on Saturday, 07 June 2025 02:26
Marcel Holzmann, 34, the Austrian with 63 matches in Romania, checked within three years in Botosani and Academica Clinceni, prefaces, in an interview exclusively to the Sports Gazette, The match of capital importance that “tricolors” disputes in Vienna, in the preliminaries CM 2026. The footballer who made his junior at Red Bull Salzburg spoke about the pluses and minuses of Ralf Rantnick, explaining where the Romanians can compensate in the market quotas.
- Austria – Romania is playing tonight, from 21:45, on the “Ernst Happel” stadium. The match will be LiveText on GSP.ro and live on TV on Antena 1, with real -time details from GSP reporters in Vienna.
Marcel Holzmann was born in Salzgurg and was considered a promise of Austrian football. Schooling in Red Bull's “laboratories”, the defender evolved for a short time to Bayern Munich's second team, in the same period when he was beginning to be summoned to the U21 national of Austria.
He spent a significant period in his native country at St. Polten, Romania becoming a house in the second part of the career, when he caught the play-off and played in the preliminaries with FC Botosani.
Marcel Holzmann, punctual analysis before Austria – Romania: “We play much more aggressive, our pressing is advanced”
Almost withdrawn, the last time at USV Berndorf, an amateur club near Salzburg, Marcel Holzmann has accepted the Gazeta's invitation to analyze the main discussion points targeting the Austria – Romania match.
How do Holzmann see the tonight? What is the current feeling in Rantnick's national team and how does it relate to the strengths and vulnerabilities of Austria? See Romania capable of producing the surprise? Everything, in the lines below.
“I think it will be a very, very difficult match for both teams. The situation of Austria is that now we want to qualify for the World Championship. The last world we attended was in '98.
So it's been a long time. But now, with Ralf Rantnick, from my point of view I took a new step, one before.
We play much more aggressive. We practice an advanced pressing. And, yes, as you have seen, at the European Championship, I had a little misfortune against Turkey. In groups, I was with the Netherlands, France and Poland – a very difficult group, but I won. So the next step is to qualify for the World Cup ”, the Austrian believes.
Marcel Holzmann spoke in laudative terms about Romania and Romanian football / photo source: Instagram
“What Romania built is top, top, top!”
Holzmann continues his analysis and wants to highlight the progress he observed in football in Romania. And Mircea Lucescu's name inspires credibility.
“We play at home, in Vienna, … it will be a very, very difficult match. And for the players – some who were injured have returned, such as Schlager from Leipzig. One good thing is that the team has played together over the past three to four years. Most of our players evolve in Germany, in the Bundesliga. The level is very high, but that doesn't matter.
About Romania – for me, What they have built in the last three to four years has been top, top. And at the European Championship in Germany it was great to see how they play.
And I also know the mentality of Romanian players. It is a little different from that of the Austrians. Romanian players have more emotion than us. And this is what I loved as long as I was in Romania.
Now you have a great legend as a coach – Lucescu – a huge legend, not only in Romania, but also in Europe … It has been for many years at Shahtior Donețk ”.
“It can be seen that Romania has taken a step forward.”
Holzman also says that “and among the Romanians there is a very good connection among all the players who are now in the lot.
Many of them play together at the national team for two or three years. Yes. Of course, I know someone, Andrei Burci. I played with him in Botosani. He is also in the lot, I saw. And, yes, all the other players – you have so much quality. Tanase, Stanciu, Chiricheș – many top players who evolve in very good championships.
It can be seen that in recent years Romania has taken a step forward. For me, it was a joy to see that they had a very good performance at the European Championship. And now I hope they will qualify for the World Cup ”.
Holzmann was captain at the Clinceni Academy / Photo source: Instagram
“Romania has to stay compact. Maybe you will have a chance on the counterattack!”
In conclusion, Holzmann balance the strengths of the two teams and conclude: “Romania must be very compact, maybe the chances will appear on the counterattack”:
“But for tomorrow's match it will be very difficult. From a technical point of view, I do not know. Romania has very technical players. It will be difficult because we play with advanced pressing. Rangnick asks for a lot of energy on the ground. Therefore, in defense, Romania has to stay very, very compact. Maybe they will have good chances on the counterattack.
And, yes, Austria … we play at home. The press is said to say that “we have to win the first match” “is clear. But for me it is not so clear, because the difference between teams is, perhaps, only in tactics.
We may have more players in the top championships, but it doesn't matter so much – it matters how they connect on the field, both teams. So it will be very interesting.
I don't think it will be a clear result. It will be a heavy mission for Austria and a mission as difficult for Romania. But, yes, my heart is on both sides ”Holzmann pointed out, in the interview with the newspaper.
