Young Boys are still without points after four games in the Champions League. Qualification for the knockout round seems hopeless - and not just because of the many injuries.
Wednesday should have gone down as a historic day in Young Boys' history with their first away win in the Champions League. In the end, it is yet another chapter in the disastrous away record of the Bernese in the top flight. The Swiss champions have picked up a measly two points in eleven games in Europe's top competition away from home. No points were added in Gelsenkirchen either, although the Young Boys took the lead against Shakhtar Donetsk in the duel between the previously goalless teams.
Typical of the course of the season so far and their current form, the Bernese were only able to enjoy their good fortune for a short time. In the end, it was not only the absence of captain Loris Benito and his partner in central defense, Sandro Lauper, due to injury that tipped the scales, but also the individual class of the opponents, even though they did not have the qualities of the first three opponents.
Hopeless starting position
"We've already shown against Inter Milan and now against Shakhtar Donetsk that we can keep up. We're missing small details," said coach Joël Magnin. Internationally, you have to be very precise in both sixteen to score. "Unfortunately, we weren't that against Shakhtar."
After half a stint, the Bernese occupy third-last place out of 36 in the reformed Champions League. Only the top 24 teams qualify for the knockout round. YB are already five points behind the last play-off place. The Swiss champions would have to surpass themselves in the second half of the league phase to make the impossible possible. Even if the opponents - Atalanta Bergamo, VfB Stuttgart, Celtic Glasgow and Red Star Belgrade - appear easier at first glance than those in the first half (Aston Villa, FC Barcelona, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk), the starting position seems hopeless.
"It's all realistic"
Loris Benito and his team-mates are not rushing to throw in the towel. "We still have four games left. Theoretically, we can pick up twelve points in them. That would certainly put us in a good position," says the captain. Magnin doesn't put it quite so brashly: "Everything is realistic in football. But you also have to realize that only top teams compete in the Champions League. We will certainly pick up points, but we have to take it game by game."
The next opponent in the Champions League is Europa League winners Atalanta Bergamo on November 26. The Italians are still unbeaten in the top flight and have yet to concede a goal. No team in Serie A has scored more often than Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Bern's only hope is that the match will be played at home in the Wankdorf Stadium rather than away from home.
SDA
