Rangnick throws a glance at the dilapidated pitch in the Kosovo stadium

In the flickering light of the Fadil‑Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Austrian FA team manager Ralf Rangnick stands at the edge of the pitch and looks at the muddy grass that, on the day before the fourth Nations League match on Sunday at 18.00 Uhr, is causing a stir at the encounter in Kosovo.

The upcoming Nations League appearance of the Austrian national team is scheduled for Sunday at 18.00 Uhr and will be broadcast live on ORF 1 at 17.20 Uhr on the same day. At the Fadil‑Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Austrian FA team manager Ralf Rangnick criticised the condition of the pitch. “The field is in a catastrophic condition, I have rarely trained internationally on such a poor pitch,” he said in the ORF interview. He added that the surface is “at best a meadow, more like a field”.

Rangnick's criticism of the pitch

He emphasized that the team needs high intensity again to win many balls. Given the conditions, it is important to create scoring chances, explained the 68‑year‑old German. In his 41 years of experience he has rarely seen such a neglected pitch. The quality of the grass could significantly dampen the pace of the game.

At the subsequent press conference Rangnick repeated his assessment. “Until tomorrow not much will change here,” he said, expressing relief at not having to play in November. He pointed out that the technically skilled team from Kosovo would also be reluctant to take the field on this surface. With this he emphasized that both teams are equally affected.

Previous encounter and player opinions

In the previous match Kosovo defeated Ireland 1:0, with many shots missing the target. Rangnick explained that the numerous misses were linked to the poor pitch. Patrick Wimmer, also at the press conference, compared the situation to the German Bundesliga: “I haven’t played on such a meadow for a long time.” He added that such a surface is more suited to a Sunday league in the afternoon.

Rangnick stressed again that neither Austria nor Kosovo have any advantage or disadvantage. Both teams would have to adapt to the conditions and create the best chances from them. The condition of the grass would therefore be a decisive factor for the match.

The discussion about the pitch sheds light on the infrastructure of international matches in Kosovo. If the situation does not improve, future encounters could again suffer under similar conditions.