Israel National Football Team Prepares for Nations League Opener Amidst Squad Questions

The Israeli national football team is in the final stages of preparation for their UEFA Nations League opener against Austria, scheduled for Thursday evening in Linz. All tickets for the match have been sold out. Austrian media appears to be downplaying Israel's chances, citing defensive absences and not overly concerned by the potential absence of key players like Christoph Baumgartner, Marcel Sabitzer, David Alaba, and Marko Arnautović. While the Austrian team will train and hold their press conference an hour and a half away from the stadium, the Israeli squad will conduct their final training session at the venue.

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

The decision on who will start upfront, whether it be Turgeman, the in-form Baribo, or Sayed Abu Farchi, will be made after these discussions. In defense, the choice between the recently recovered Idan Nachmias and Raz Shlomo will be finalized after the training session, with a preference for a player from Beer Sheva.

Notably, Eli Dasa did not attend the press conference, sparking speculation about whether he will start or if it's a tactical ploy. If Dasa does not start, Manor Solomon is expected to wear the captain's armband. Meanwhile, the Israeli Football Association chairman Shino Zuarz, his deputy Moran Meiri, and CEO Yariv Tepper will meet with Austrian Football Association officials. A separate meeting is also scheduled with Willy Ruttensteiner and Andy Herzog, former coaches of the Israeli national team, with Ruttensteiner having recently served as a professional advisor to the Israeli FA chairman.