Dream of staying in Europe ends

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FC Red Bull Salzburg

·12 December 2023

Dream of staying in Europe ends

Fourth place after 1-3 loss

Football can just be so brutal. We finished level on points and with an identical goal difference to Benfica - but our European journey for the season is over after the 1-3 defeat sent the Portuguese side through into the UEFA Europa League spot on goals scored.

Goals from Angel Di Maria (32') and Rafa Silva (45+1') had put the visitors in charge before the interval, but a Luka Sucic long-range effort in the second half put us back on course to claim third place in the group. The decisive goal for the Portuguese side came in stoppage time with substitute Arthur Cabral (90+2') sending us out with a backheeled goal.

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Match summary

The flames that our fans sent up (figuratively) around the stadium with their display before kick-off showed what they wanted to see. It didn't quite work that way to begin with despite our side's best efforts in the opening period that led to a few chances coming their way - and the same at our end of the field.

After 15 minutes of play, with the incessant winter rain bearing down, we were being penned right back by the determined Portuguese side. We were able to gain some relief from that, but Benfica showed their class to full effect.

After half an hour of play, Angel Di Maria sent the ball a fraction wide of the far post (31'). He threatened again, this time from a corner. The curve on his delivery beat everyone, including Alex Schlager - who was positioned to try to stop a header - and we were one down (32').

Petar Ratkov was unfortunate at the other end in having his first effort blocked and a second saved (40'). Dorgeles Nene was also unable to pose a question on a promising break four minutes later.

It had looked like we were close to an equaliser, but then the second blow of the night fell. In first-half stoppage time, Strahinja Pavlovic lost the ball in midfield and Rafa Silva turned it in for 2-0 (45+1').

Roger Schmidt's side had the better start of the second period, with Rafa Silva having a huge chance for another goal. Thankfully for us, the Portuguese striker hit his shot too close to Alex Schlager, who could stoop down to make a great save (52').

There just had to be a change at this point as the game seemed to be slipping away from us. Gerhard Struber obliged by bringing two fresh attackers on in Fernando and Sekou Koita.

The new set-up worked wonders, albeit it was Luka Sucic who made the difference! After Oscar Gloukh turned the ball forward, the Croatian took aim from distance - and sank a great finish inside the far post (57'). That would be enough to put us into third if nothing changed.

The goal lifted our boys and the 27,134 spectators at the Red Bull Arena like a rocket! It remained on a real knife-edge, with both teams desperate to land the next goal. It promised to be an incredibly nervy final period with any mistake having the potential to prove crucial.

We thought we had sealed it - for a moment! Sucic took aim from distance again and the ball was in the Benfica net once more. Our goal was disallowed though due to a flag from the referee's assistant as Koita had been in an offside position when deflecting it in (75'). Benfica stepped up the pressure as they looked to capitalise on our misfortune, and the chances came thick and fast at either end.

Roger Schmidt made a late attacking change by bringing on Arthur Cabral - and it proved to pay dividend. The Brazilian was played through perfectly in stoppage time and converted with a backheel on the turn - an incredible goal that was a nightmare for us (90+2'). The final whistle soon followed.

Our European journey for 2023/24 is over after the UEFA Champions League group stage. We now need to use the winter break to regain our strength and go all out to win the domestic double in the spring.

Views

If you set a big aim and you see it disappear at the last moment, then of course we aren't feeling too great about it. It was a really tough blow to take. We saw Benfica at their very best - Di Maria really put his stamp on the game. We always managed to take the momentum back to our side. You need to have a very special day if you are playing opponents at this level. It's a disappointing way to go out - but we can use it to become more mature.

Gerhard Struber

To get knocked out like that, in a moment when there was so much at stake - is so painful. I can barely put it into words. We have to learn the lessons from the match, as hard as that might be. We didn't do a lot of things right in the final 20 minutes, and they are a team with world-class players all over their attack - they showed that tonight. We didn't quite have enough, unfortunately.

Alex Schlager

It's difficult to describe the way we feel right now. We are extremely disappointed, first and foremost. We went out to stay in Europe, but we have to accept we didn't manage that, and we can learn a lot from it. We played against top opponents and had possibly the hardest group of all. To concede in the 92nd minute is really disappointing.

Luka Sucic