Suleymanov’s injury, Utkin's goal and El-Arabi double: Krasnodar lost to Olympiacos and flew out of the Champions League

Belief in miracles and full house in the stands

After the historic victory over Porto, the confrontation with Olympiacos in the Champions League playoffs fans of Krasnodar waited with undisguised optimism. Basically, fans of the southerners believed that the wards of Murad Musaev were quite capable of passing the silver medalist of the Greek championship.

But already in the first game, a team from Russia was waiting for a real fiasco. In Piraeus, Krasnodar not only conceded four unanswered goals, which reduced its chances of reaching the group round to almost zero, but also lost the star recruit Remy Cabella due to a serious injury for a long time. And even before the ill-fated game, the pillar of defense and captain Southerners Alexander Martynovich received damage.

After such a fiasco, the fans could only cite the incredible comeback of Barcelona in the 1/8 finals of the Champions League 2016/17 as an example. Then the blue-garnet in the first match also lost to PSG with a score of 0: 4, but in the return match they won - 6: 1 and went further. And last season, Liverpool solved a slightly “easier” task, which in Catalonia missed all from the same Barça three unanswered goals, but scored four at home and as a result won the trophy.

However, the players and the coaching staff of Krasnodar, despite the complexity of the situation, continued to assure that they were determined to perform a miracle, and try to believe in it.

“There are many examples in history when a team recouped from an even larger account. It is clear that the situation is not simple, it will be extremely difficult for us. But we will make every effort to start this match well. And then the game will show. Anything can happen, ”Musayev’s assistant Sergei Matveev said at a pre-match press conference.

In turn, the young talent of the southerners Magomed-Shapi Suleymanov, who also attended this event, promised "to go forward until the final whistle sounds."

Oddly enough, they believed in Krasnodar and the bookmakers. So, one of the largest in Russia offered for the passage of the team a low coefficient in the current situation - 15.00. Another office gave a similar coefficient - 16.00. By the way, in 2017, in the case of the Barça pass, PSG could increase its rate by 10-11 times. Two years ago bookmakers believed in Catalans a little more.

As for the starting lineup, Musaev and his assistants prepared several surprises at once. First, Matvey Safonov, who made a productive mistake in the match against Lokomotiv, was replaced by Stanislav Kritsyuk. Secondly, Dmitry Stotsky reappeared on the left edge of the defense, and Daniil Utkin, a student of the club, in the supporting zone. The failed game in Greece Ruslan Kambolov remained in reserve.

But to the delight of the fans, Suleymanov was again at the core. But the appearance of Marcus Berg could raise questions from the fans, since at the start of the season the Swedish veteran looks completely unconvincing.

A minute-long hope and the plain-looking game of Krasnodar

And the “Krasnodar”, driven forward by the crowded stands of the native stadium, with the starting whistle of the referee rushed to the gates of others. Already in the first three minutes, the hosts managed to inflict two shots on the opponent’s goal. In the first case, the goalkeeper took the ball into his hands after the shot of Wanderson right in the center. And then Stotsky demonstrated the team’s mood, literally throwing the opponent over the edge.

And at first everything developed for the southerners as well as possible. Already in the tenth minute, the team managed to open an account. All the same, Vanderson, who was the most active in the Russian team, dragged the ball on the left brow, burst into the penalty area and executed a cross on Daniil Utkin. The rivals did not have time to cover the young midfielder, and he calmly sent the ball to the far corner.

Unfortunately, the emerging hope in the hearts of Krasnodar fans almost immediately died. The guests immediately carried out a smashing response. Youssef El-Arabi, like Utkin moments earlier, calmly handled the ball in the center of the penalty area and shot. Now Musayev’s wards needed to score as many as five.

Alas, the goal actually broke the team. The game at “Krasnodar” after that finally went wrong. In addition, a footballer from whom on Tuesday especially expected miracles, Suleymanov, was injured. In the middle of the half, he unsuccessfully ran into an opponent, and a few minutes later the midfielder collapsed on the lawn and asked for a replacement. Instead, Younes Namli entered the field.

Olympiacos played in a row and leisurely. Footballers of the Greek team even possessed an advantage and calmly controlled the ball. “Krasnodar”, such a feeling, was completely satisfied with a draw. Only at the end of the first half, the hosts wound up again and briefly seized the initiative. However, things didn’t reach dangerous moments. One can only recall that Vanderson’s shot above the gate.

Saves Kritsyuk and the city of "mustard plaster"

Unfortunately, at the very beginning of the second half, even the most notorious optimists lost hope. As soon as the game resumed, Olympiacos stepped forward completely. And again, “Krasnodar” acted poorly in defense. Mathieu Valbuena was allowed to calmly take the ball into the box and carry out an efficient cross on El Arabi who scored twice.

Kritsyuk in this case could not help his team. But after the second goal conceded, Stanislav saved the team more than once. Firstly, the goalkeeper promptly threw himself at the feet of Masuros and did not allow him to distinguish himself. Secondly, he pulled Valbuen's head from under the bar. A little later, Kritsyuk in the far corner pulled out a dangerous shot of Podense.

“Krasnodar” actually continued to remain in a state of grogging and did not show anything. Seeing this, Matveev began to make replacements. First, instead of the unsuccessfully acting Sergey Petrov, Dmitry Stotsky entered the field, and then Ivan Ignatiev entered the game. It is noteworthy that he did not play instead of Berg, but with him, replacing the author of the goal, Utkin.

As a result, it was Ignatiev who created the most dangerous moment at the gate of Jose de Sa in the second half. With a strong blow from a dangerous free kick, he almost equalized, but the Portuguese goalkeeper managed to fend off the shot, and the southerners didn’t have time to finish. And a few minutes later Ivan struck the bottom from outside the penalty area already in the game situation, but the goalkeeper calmly took the ball after the rebound.

It is not surprising that in such a match, the hosts in the end began to lose their nerves, and the degree of emotions gradually began to rise. The judge chilled him with yellow cards. “Mustard plots” got Namli, Olsson and Uros Spaich.

Fans met the final whistle rather with relief. “Krasnodar” not only failed to perform a miracle, but also played a nondescript game. Unfortunately, hope lived for exactly one minute. However, it is not worth blaming the southerners.

Significantly updated team and so jumped above his head, knocking out a quarterfinal Champion of the Champions League “Porto”. Unfortunately, Musaev’s life was complicated by injuries. One can only hope that Krasnodar will quickly move away from this failure and, having caught its game, will still make itself known in the main European competition. In the meantime, the brainchild of Sergei Galitsky awaits the familiar Europa League.