Salzburg is struggling: “Maybe we are too small a team in the Champions League”

It was a bitter evening for Austria’s soccer champions Red Bull Salzburg as they lost 0-1 (0-0) in the Champions League group game against Inter Milan. With a gap of seven points to Inter and Real Sociedad, they have been eliminated from the Champions League. However, in third place you can hope for a continuation of the European Cup season in the Europa League.

The hand penalty that led to Argentina’s world champion Lautaro Martinez’s winning goal at the end was absolutely a given. However, Salzburg should also have received a penalty: After 22 minutes, Salzburg’s Roko Simic was knocked down on the shoulder by Inter’s Carlos Augusto. Referee Serdar Gözübüyük allowed play to continue, but the VAR did not overrule him.

It was not the first controversial decision that went against Salzburg. Simic was accordingly angry. “I don’t know what the VAR did in the first half. Maybe it’s because we’re a small team in the Champions League. Maybe we have to get to the final twice for them to give us the penalty.” The allusion was aimed at the two-time Champions League finalists Inter. Coach Gerhard Struber looked at the matter like this: “Of course it would have been different if we had taken the lead 1-0, we could have multiplied the faith, hope and courage again. Apparently it’s not that easy for the referees Perceiving dynamics at that pace.”

question of experience

Struber saw it not least as a question of experience. “You can see that Inter is a very mature team in special moments where there is little time and space, where the right decisions have to be made. We are very young, and you can see that in these moments. Games like this show us that.” said the Salzburger. The fact that Inter were able to bring world champion Martinez or European champion Nicolo Barella off the bench also shows the depth of the squad very clearly.

Before the away game against Real Sociedad (November 29th) and the home game against the currently pointless bottom team Benfica Lisbon (December 12th), they are three points ahead of the Portuguese in third place. The 2-0 win in Lisbon at the start could be worth its weight in gold if you want to continue playing in third place in the Europa League.