Austria vs Serbia prediction: EUROPE: UEFA Nations League – League A/B – Relegation betting tips on match 2025-03-19 19:45.
[p]The stakes are high as Austria take on Serbia for a place in League A of the UEFA Nations League (UNL) for the 2026/27 campaign. Progression would mark a second foray into the top flight for the Austrians, who agonisingly missed out on automatic promotion from Group B3, finishing second behind Norway, as a 1-1 draw on the final matchday against Slovenia saw them knocked off top spot.[/p]
[p]That result halted the momentum gained by three wins in a row, two of which came in home games. Manager Ralf Rangnick will therefore hope to take a decisive lead into the second leg of this tie by reviving memories of those two victories, although he will be without key man Marcel Sabitzer after he suffered a knee injury at the weekend playing for Borussia Dortmund.[/p]
[p]Serbia will look to banish the memories of a poor UNL campaign in which they finished third (W1, D3, L2) behind Spain and Denmark in Group A4 to be dragged into this play-off. The Eagles needed a win on the last matchday to finish in the top two, but a goalless draw against the Danes saw them miss out on a quarter-final berth. They’re now tasked with bouncing back against a side that has defeated them in the last two H2Hs, including in their last competitive meeting in October 2017 at this very venue (3-2).[/p]
[p]A lack of potency up front has become a major weakness for Dragan Stojković’s men, who have failed to score in five of their last seven matches. That run includes two of Serbia’s last three away games (D1, L2), but with those their only failures to find the net in their last nine UNL trips, the visitors may prove to be a threat again here. [/p]
[p]Players to watch: Christoph Baumgartner has contributed to five goals (G2, A3) in his last four matches for Austria and both scored and assisted in a 2-1 win when these sides last met in June last year. Dušan Vlahović has assisted Serbia’s only away goal this UNL campaign, but will be looking to score here, as his two career strikes in the competition have come in victories with accompanying clean sheets.[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Eight of Austria’s last nine UNL home matches have seen both teams score.[/p]
[p][i]Written by Sridhar B[/i][/p]