Alaba (undisclosed) was substituted at halftime of Monday's 1-0 victory over Tunisia after feeling a slight muscle tightness, with coach Ralf Rangnick opting against taking any risks with the Austrian captain, according to Sky Sport Austria. "With David we also need to take another look. He felt a slight hardening at halftime. That is why we did not take any risks."
Analysis:
Alaba's condition will be assessed over the coming days before any further clarity emerges on his availability for Austria's opening World Cup fixture against Jordan on June 17, with about two weeks remaining for the captain to prove his fitness. The coaching staff will manage his return carefully given his importance to the Austrian setup, with the nature of the issue appearing precautionary rather than a cause for serious concern at this stage.
