# Xaver Schlager

Xaver Schlager (German pronunciation:; born 28 September 1997) is an Austrian footballer who plays as central midfielder for Bundesliga club RB Leipzig and the Austria national team.

## Club career
### Red Bull Salzburg

After playing for the youth team of SC St. Valentin, Schlager joined the FC Red Bull Salzburg Academy in 2011, where he played in all teams. In 2015, Schlager was transferred to FC Liefering, the feeder team of FC Red Bull Salzburg.
During the 2017–18 season, Salzburg had their best ever European campaign. They finished top of their Europa League group, for a record fourth time, before beating Real Sociedad and Borussia Dortmund thus making their first ever appearance in the UEFA Europa League semi-final. On 3 May 2018, he played in the Europa League semi-finals as Marseille beat Salzburg 3–2 on aggregate to secure a place in the final.

### VfL Wolfsburg

On the 26 June 2019, Schlager signed for Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. During his time with Wolfsburg, Schlager made 81 appearances in all competitions, including 69 in the Bundesliga. He missed 20 league matches through injury during his final season, but still averaged 27 pressures per game whilst producing a goal and two assists.

### RB Leipzig

On 17 June 2022, Schlager joined Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig, after the club activated a release clause in his Wolfsburg contract. He signed a contract until 2026. Schlager helped Leipzig to win the German Cup and German Super Cup in 2023, starting the latter, coming on as substitute in the German Cup Final. In early May of 2024, Schlager was playing against Hoffenheim, when he was substituted off with an injury. Later tests confirmed that his ACL was torn, and underwent surgery, therefore missing the European Championship in the summer.

## International career

On 23 March 2018, Schlager debuted for the Austrian senior squad in a friendly 3–0 victory over Slovenia. The same year on 18 September, he scored his first goal in a 2018–19 UEFA Nations League match against Northern Ireland.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played 20 December 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | Cup | Cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| FC Liefering | 2014–15 | Austrian First League | 11 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 0 |
| FC Liefering | 2015–16 | Austrian First League | 22 | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 22 | 3 |
| FC Liefering | 2016–17 | Austrian First League | 11 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 4 |
| FC Liefering | 2017–18 | Austrian First League | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| FC Liefering | Total | Total | 46 | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 46 | 7 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2015–16 | Austrian Bundesliga | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 2 | 0 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2016–17 | Austrian Bundesliga | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 17 | 2 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2017–18 | Austrian Bundesliga | 26 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 14 | 0 | — | — | 44 | 1 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | 2018–19 | Austrian Bundesliga | 26 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 12 | 1 | — | — | 44 | 8 |
| Red Bull Salzburg | Total | Total | 67 | 7 | 12 | 2 | 28 | 2 | — | — | 107 | 11 |
| VfL Wolfsburg II | 2019–20 | Regionalliga Nord | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2019–20 | Bundesliga | 23 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2020–21 | Bundesliga | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 2 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | 2021–22 | Bundesliga | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 15 | 0 |
| VfL Wolfsburg | Total | Total | 69 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 0 | — | — | 81 | 3 |
| RB Leipzig | 2022–23 | Bundesliga | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 1 |
| RB Leipzig | 2023–24 | Bundesliga | 29 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| RB Leipzig | 2024–25 | Bundesliga | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 5 | 0 |
| RB Leipzig | Total | Total | 55 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 78 | 2 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 238 | 18 | 23 | 2 | 51 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 313 | 23 |
* 1 2 3 4 Appearance(s) in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Four appearances in UEFA Champions League, eight appearances one goal in UEFA Europa League
* 1 2 Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League
* ↑ Appearance in DFL-Supercup

### International

    As of match played 26 March 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Austria | 2018 | 7 | 1 |
| Austria | 2019 | 3 | 0 |
| Austria | 2020 | 6 | 0 |
| Austria | 2021 | 7 | 0 |
| Austria | 2022 | 9 | 2 |
| Austria | 2023 | 8 | 0 |
| Austria | 2024 | 2 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 43 | 4 |

#### International goals

    As of match played 26 March 2024
    Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Schlager goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1. | 18 November 2018 | Windsor Park, Belfast, Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 1–0 | 2–1 | 2018–19 UEFA Nations League B |
| 2. | 6 June 2022 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Denmark | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2022–23 UEFA Nations League A |
| 3. | 20 November 2022 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Italy | 1–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 4. | 26 March 2024 | Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria | Turkey | 1–0 | 6–1 | Friendly |

## Honours

Red Bull Salzburg
* Austrian Bundesliga: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
* Austrian Cup: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19
RB Leipzig
* DFB-Pokal: 2022–23
* DFL-Supercup: 2023