Laimer surprised: Bayern star suddenly playing in an unfamiliar position | OneFootball

FC Bayern’s Konrad Laimer is known for his versatility. However, in Austria’s World Cup opener against Jordan, coach Ralf Rangnick deployed him in a particularly surprising way.

Konrad Laimer once again demonstrated why he is so valuable to his coaches during the Austrian national team’s World Cup opener. The FC Bayern pro played in a position during the 3-1 victory over Jordan that hardly anyone had anticipated beforehand.

Austria’s national team coach Ralf Rangnick initially deployed Laimer in the playmaker role. There, the 29-year-old was tasked with replacing the injured Christoph Baumgartner and providing additional structure to Austria’s play.

For Laimer, it was yet another unusual assignment in a career that has long been characterized by tactical flexibility. Back home, the Salzburg native is often described as a sort of “all-purpose weapon” on the squad. At FC Bayern, he has most recently impressed as a right back, but for Austria he has also been deployed in the past as a left back, in central midfield, or on the right wing.

Against Jordan, Laimer was now expected to make an impact in the offensive midfield. However, the plan didn’t quite work out.

Rangnick makes adjustments after halftime

In the first half, Austria struggled to maintain control of the game. Laimer appeared isolated at times in his unfamiliar position in the center, and the flow of the game stalled for long stretches. After the final whistle, Rangnick openly admitted that the experiment did not initially have the desired effect.

It wasn’t until after the break that the ÖFB coach made an adjustment, moving Laimer back to the left side of defense. This change stabilized the favorites’ play, and they ultimately prevailed 3–1, getting off to a successful start in the tournament.

Rangnick had already praised Laimer a few weeks ago for his versatility: “Konni is incredibly versatile; you know what you’re getting from him, no matter what position he ends up playing,” the national team coach raved.

Photo: IMAGO

Laimer himself took the unusual role in stride after the match. “It’s always difficult to break through against teams like this. We knew beforehand that it would be a tough game. We had stretches where we played well,” said the Bayern Munich pro.

In the end, the result was what mattered most to him: “In the end, you could see our mentality; it feels great to head into the World Cup with three points. My new role wasn’t a problem for me, but it was definitely intense.”

For FC Bayern, the match likely served as further proof of just how versatile Laimer is. Even though the experiment at the number 10 position only worked to a limited extent, the Austrian remains a player who can take on responsibility in multiple positions.