At Borussia Dortmund, of all places, a lot of things boiled down to the Styrians winning their first point in the premier class before the first real mistake in Graz gave the German favorite a 1-0 victory. Christian Ilzer summed up his team’s state of mind aptly: “We are disappointed and also angry,” said Sturm’s coach.
The success of black and yellow against black and white on Tuesday evening may have been deserved. In the end, it was Emanuel Aiwu’s terrible pass in the 85th minute that gave Donyell Malen the winning goal. The fact that assister Serhou Guirassy was not offside by millimeters during the action made the Graz accident perfect. “The late redemption!” wrote the “Bild” newspaper about the Dutchman’s goal. After the final whistle, Nuri Sahin also took a breather on the sidelines. “I would have thought that the scissors would open earlier, that didn’t happen,” said Dortmund’s coach.
More on the topic
0:1 – Sturm was close to a sensation in Dortmund
Sahin expressed “huge respect” for the guests from Styria (“They walked a lot and made life difficult for us”). They could buy little from it. “The atmosphere isn’t exactly good. Everyone knows how close we were to something historic,” said full-back Jusuf Gazibegovic. The applause from the 6,000 fans who came gave us courage. There were no allegations against Aiwu. The central defender, like the entire back team of the guests, had previously shown a bone-dry performance and gave the BVB attackers little room to develop.
When Marcel Sabitzer, who was struggling with calf problems, had to leave Dortmund’s pitch with 25 minutes to go, Sturm even had the upper hand for around ten minutes. However, Mika Biereth was unable to accurately place a header with the best opportunity from a few meters. “In this phase we have to take the lead,” Ilzer analyzed with some sadness. “We showed that we can defend ourselves at this level, that we can create something. But in the end it’s always the same points. We’re missing the goal and one or two mistakes are too many to score.”
Learning effect
He emphasized “once again” the learning effect. He should take the next step forward in the next game. Sturm will be visiting Girona in Klagenfurt in three weeks. “I hope that we can finally reward ourselves with points,” said Ilzer. After a 4-0 defeat at PSV Eindhoven, the Spaniards have one win and now three defeats in the Champions League.
Sturm’s goal difference after four match days in the league phase is now 1:6. The double winner doesn’t get many goals, but hardly scores any either. In the 1:2 draw in Brest, the Styrians’ goal came from an own goal. After Girona, Sturm still has away games against Lille and Atalanta Bergamo and finally the home appearance against RB Leipzig. The Saxons are also still without a point after four games.
Sturm – Ilzer noted somewhat thoughtfully – will have to continue to improve. Even when the air gets thin. “In the end you can say that we have achieved a performance where we have already pushed ourselves to the limit. But if we are satisfied with that, we will have zero points after eight games,” remarked Sturm’s champion maker. For his team it’s now time to get back home. Hartberg is waiting as an opponent on Saturday. Profertil Arena instead of Signal Iduna Park, 5,000 instead of 80,000 spectators. After that, the people of Graz can take a breather during the international break.
ePaper
**Interview with Christian Ilzer, Head Coach of Sturm Graz**
*Interviewer*: Thank you for joining us, Christian. You must be feeling quite disappointed after the narrow loss against Borussia Dortmund. Can you share your thoughts on the match?
*Christian Ilzer*: Thank you for having me. Yes, it’s quite disappointing. We worked hard and were so close to earning our first point in the Champions League. The players put in a tremendous effort, and it’s frustrating that a late mistake cost us dearly.
*Interviewer*: It was a tough competition, especially in the closing minutes. What do you think went wrong with Emanuel Aiwu’s pass that led to Dortmund’s winning goal?
*Christian Ilzer*: It was an unfortunate moment. Emanuel has been solid for us, and mistakes happen under pressure. We were in a good position and just needed to hold our concentration for a little longer. Those kinds of errors in high-stakes matches end up being costly.
*Interviewer*: Your team showed resilience throughout the match. What positives can you take from this performance moving forward?
*Christian Ilzer*: Absolutely, the commitment and teamwork were commendable. We demonstrated that we can compete at this level, especially defensively. I believe this experience will help our players grow. It’s a learning opportunity – we need to capitalize on the chances we create.
*Interviewer*: Looking ahead, what are your expectations for the upcoming match against Girona and beyond in the Champions League?
*Christian Ilzer*: We need to build on this performance and convert our hard work into points. Girona will be another challenging match, but I’m hopeful that we can finally reward ourselves. We must focus on learning from our mistakes and strive for improvement.
*Interviewer*: how do you plan to keep your players motivated after such a close call?
*Christian Ilzer*: Motivation is crucial. It’s essential to remind them that they performed well and that we’re on the right path. The applause from our fans shows that they believe in us, and that belief will fuel our determination. We have to stay focused and determined as we prepare for the next challenges.
*Interviewer*: Thank you, Christian. Best of luck against Girona and in your upcoming matches!
*Christian Ilzer*: Thank you! We’ll do our best to turn things around.
