Comments on AUT - TUR

Rangnick: “Feels pointless and undeserved!”

Ralf Rangnick (Team Manager Austria)

(Bild: Associated Press)

Read what both teams had to say after the European Championship clash between Austria and Turkey HERE!

Ralf Rangnick (Austria team manager): "When you see everything we put into this game today and how many scoring chances we missed, the whole thing feels pretty grotesque and surreal. I don't think the team that was the better team over the whole game won. But that's not what the play-off is about. The play-off is about deciding games. The only criticism is that we didn't score enough goals and that we didn't defend well twice from set pieces. We knew that the Turks have big players with strong headers, but we still expect to defend better in such situations. The first was half an own goal when the ball slipped through the back of the net. For the second goal, we had our players with the strongest headers right in that area. From that moment on, it was even more difficult. After 2-1, we still had so many great opportunities and in the last second of the game, the way the goalkeeper held the ball there was incredible. After 2-1, the Turks just defended with man and mouse. I still can't believe that we're actually going home tomorrow. It feels pointless and undeserved. No blame to the team, we did well. Even today. We just lacked the necessary luck. If the game had gone into extra time, we would have won."

Michael Gregoritsch (Austria goalscorer): "One of the worst evenings of soccer I've experienced! We tried so hard, tried everything - in the end, I think we were undeservedly eliminated. Congratulations to Turkey, they defended with passion and sacrifice. We tried everything, that's what sticks. In the end it wasn't enough, which is a shame because we can't really blame ourselves. Austria has never seen a soccer team so united - so many people were behind us. I think people can appreciate it, the country can be proud of how fairly everything went, it was a peaceful soccer festival everywhere. The message throughout Austria and Europe is that we shouldn't deal with differentiation and right-wing thoughts, but be united, proud and happy."

Maximilian Wöber (defender Austria): "There is emptiness in everyone at the moment. We've sparked euphoria, not just in Austria, but also in the team. We believed that we could achieve a lot, now there's a lot of disappointment. We didn't really get into our game in the first half and conceded a quick goal. We made some changes in the second half and that worked better. In a good phase for us, we got the second goal again through a set piece. The chances were there, it just wasn't enough. There's a lot in the team, the squad is the perfect age. Now it's hard to cope, it will take a few days for everyone."

Christoph Baumgartner (striker Austria): "This is certainly one of the saddest days in my life. I'm very, very disappointed. I'm finding it very difficult to find the right words. Alaba said that moments like this make you stronger. At times like this, it's hard to accept anything because the disappointment is so great. It wasn't my game today, I had it in my head at the end and some situations that were very unfortunate. It's so disappointing because there was so much to play for."