Israel Soccer Team Prepares for Nations League Opener Amidst Roster Questions

The Israeli national soccer team is in its final preparations for its opening match in the UEFA Nations League against Austria, scheduled for Thursday evening in Linz. All tickets for the game have been sold out. Austrian media appears to be downplaying Israel's chances, noting absences of key players like David Alaba and Marko Arnautović, while seemingly unconcerned by their own missing stars such as Christoph Baumgartner and Marcel Sabitzer. The Austrian team will hold their pre-match training and press conference an hour and a half away from the stadium, whereas the Israeli squad will train at the venue itself.

For the first time, Israeli coach Ran Ben Shimon will have a full squad available for training. This is due to the proximity of Yom Kippur and the refusal of American clubs to release their players. Players like Tai Baribo, Liel Abada, and Idan Toklomati arrived on one flight, while Dor Turgeman and Ilai Feingold arrived separately, but all are expected for the final training session. Ben Shimon plans to meet with the US-based players to assess their condition after the long flight and potential jet lag, with some having taken sleeping pills on the advice of the team doctor.

The decision on who will start up front, Turgeman, the in-form Baribo, or Seyd Abu Farhi, will be made after these discussions. In defense, the choice between the recently recovered Idan Nachmias and Raz Shlomo will be finalized post-training, with a preference for a player from Beer Sheva. Notably, Eli Dasa's absence from the press conference has fueled speculation about whether he will start, or if it's a tactical misdirection. If Dasa does not start, Manor Solomon is expected to wear the captain's armband.

Meanwhile, the Israeli Football Association chairman, Shino Zuarz, along with his deputy Moran Meiri and CEO Yariv Tepper, will hold meetings with their Austrian counterparts. They are also scheduled to meet with former Israeli national team coaches Willi Ruttensteiner, who recently served as a professional advisor to the chairman, and Andy Herzog.