Image: KRUGFOTO (APA/KRUGFOTO)
After the fourth round of the Champions League, Salzburg no longer has a chance of making it to the round of 16: Inter Milan celebrated secured promotion after winning 1-0 against Austria’s football champions, and Real Sociedad also moved ahead early with a 3-1 win against Benfica Lisbon into the knockout round.
“There wasn’t much missing,” said Salzburg striker Roko Simic, disappointed. He struggled with a situation in the penalty area in the first half: referee Serdar Gözübüyük allowed the game to continue when Simic was wrestled down by Carlos Augusto (23′). “For me these are penalties,” said Salzburg sports director Bernhard Seonbuchner. The German video referee Marco Fritz saw no clear wrong decision.
“Maybe it’s because we don’t have a big name,” Simic said. In the 1-2 away game against Inter Milan two weeks ago, Salzburg could have been awarded a penalty in a similar situation – but the whistle was only blown at the San Siro Stadium, which was at least flattering for the Italians.
However, it was clear to the one who Lautaro Martinez scored to make it 1-0 for Inter yesterday: Mads Bidstrup had deflected a shot from Nicolo Barella with his arm. Marco Arnautovic celebrated on the bench: The ÖFB record team player was back in the squad for the first time since his muscle injury. Coach Simone Inzaghi, who was without a few top performers in the starting line-up, did not use him.
For Salzburg, the remaining two games are all about defending third place, which means moving on to the round of 16 of the Europa League. Competitor Benfica Lisbon is still without a point. “Two games at full throttle, hopefully it will be something,” said Salzburg’s Luka Sucic.
Bayern and Real Madrid continue
Bayern Munich secured group victory with their fourth win (2-1 against Galatasaray Istanbul) in Group A. Real Madrid’s record in Group C is also flawless thanks to the 3-0 win against Braga (without the rested David Alaba) and thus their place in the round of 16 is guaranteed.
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I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
