They ended their European campaign unbeaten at home in front of a record crowd, but Red Bull Salzburg were defeated on aggregate by Belgian club Standard Liège in the Europa League round of 32 last night.
More than 26,000 crammed into the Red Bull Arena in Wals to witness their team’s first knockout Euro tie on Austrian soil for more than a decade and a half, but despite a determined effort and another clean sheet for ’keeper Eddie Gustafsson, the Red Bulls were unable to find the cutting edge they needed to overturn their opponents’ 3–2 first-leg advantage.
It was a disappointing early end to what had looked like being a promising run after the Red Bulls swept away their Group G opposition before Christmas in a 100 per cent, six-win spree.
Coach Huub Stevens acknowledged that letting their early advantage slip in last week’s match in Liège had been a major factor.
'We lost it in the first leg – that was the decisive knockout blow' – Marc Janko
“When you manage to lose away from home after leading 2–0, it is really difficult,” admitted the Dutchman. “Our players played their hearts out today, but that wasn’t enough for us to progress. Liège just had more quality.”
“We lost it in the first leg – that was the decisive knockout blow,” added striker Marc Janko, who drew a rare blank last night, but whose goals earlier in the campaign, including both last week in Belgium, did so much to progress the Salzburg cause. “It was just too little that we offered today.”
Another unexpected result was in the corresponding half of the draw, as AS Roma suffered another 3–2 reverse against Panathinaikos, with the Greek side now progressing to the last 16.
Meanwhile, Red Bull Salzburg now turn their attention to matters at home and the retention of their slender advantage at the top of the Austrian Bundesliga, something they will immediately be able to address with a visit to fierce title rivals Rapid Vienna this weekend.
For more on the big Rapid clash, head to the Red Bull Salzburg section of redbulls.com
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