Marseille boss Rudi Garcia was aghast after his side were knocked out of the UEFA Europa League despite dominating Lazio in Rome; Bordeaux boss Eric Bédouet and Rennes’ Sabri Lamouchi know they face tough tasks to qualify.
UEFA Europa League, Matchday 4
Group C
SS Lazio 2-1 Olympique de Marseille 
Simone Inzaghi (Lazio coach): “The lads played very well. We have taken six points against OM, who are an excellent side. In the first half, we were dominated somewhat but we didn’t concede many opportunities. This is the second year that we’ve made it the last 16, this time with two matches left to play. Congratulations to the players, who did extremely well.”
Rudi Garcia (Olympique de Marseille coach): “This was a cruel defeat, as I don’t think we deserved to lose. Seeing my team behind at the break was hard to believe after the way we had played for 45 minutes. Lazio did nothing. But we faltered in the final minute, with some poor choices. I’m happy with how we played and the fact that the lads never gave up. Their ‘keeper was good while for us, our opponents just need a half-chance and it goes in. If we keep playing like this, we will win matches. But we cannot be happy after being beaten and eliminated.”
Girondins de Bordeaux 1-1 FC Zenit Saint Petersburg 
Éric Bedouet (Girondins de Bordeaux coach): “We had it under control in the first half, but Zenit stumped us in the second. We had chances to kill off the match but our opponents played well. The goal we conceded was avoidable; it was two against six. It’s a shame as we were in a position to win it and get back on track. We need to keep hoping.”
Sergei Semak (Zenith Saint Petersburg coach): “The start of the match was tough, but after we conceded, we played better and then equalised. The result is an acceptable one for us, especially given our having rotated the squad.”
FC Dynamo Kyiv 3-1 Stade Rennais FC 
Sabri Lamouchi (Stade Rennais FC coach): “Even with six points [if Renens beat Jablonec on Matchday 5], our survival won’t depend solely on us. We’ll do our best to finish the competition as well as possible, and you never know how thing will turn out. But we have to be honest: it will be tough. We’ll need to turn in the best possible performance against Jablonec and do better than we did tonight – and then finish strongly at home.”
Alyaksandr Khatskevich (FC Dynamo Kyiv coach): “The whole team played well; I wouldn’t single anyone out. I think the spectators enjoyed the match.”
>> MATCH REPORTS: Bordeaux and Rennes alive in Europe; Marseille out
Be the first to comment