Lugano is at odds with a controversial VAR decision after its elimination from the Conference League against Celje. Coach Mattia Croci-Torti finds clear words.
13.03.2025, 23:35
14.03.2025, 07:02
SDA
The press room in the Thun Arena was in a celebratory mood late on Thursday evening. At least among Slovenian media representatives. They help themselves to a beer from the fridge to toast Celje's success, which dramatically knocked FC Lugano out of the Conference League on penalties in a spectacular game with a few twists and turns.
Amir Saipi would only be too happy to raise his glasses at this moment. But the FC Lugano goalkeeper does not feel like celebrating. The 24-year-old could have been the big hero for the Ticino side that evening. Had he saved Armandas Kucys' penalty deep into stoppage time in regulation time to preserve his team's 4:2 victory. Or if he had led his team into the next round with several saves in the penalty shoot-out despite the Ticino team's misses.
But Saipi had no chance of stopping all of the Slovenians' attempts from eleven meters. "We put up an incredible fight, but unfortunately it wasn't quite enough in the end," said Saipi. Of the four penalties that the Schaffhausen player was confronted with that evening, however, one in particular was a talking point after the game. The one that the referee awarded shortly before the start of stoppage time after a lengthy consultation with the video referee, after Albian Hajdari hit his opponent in an attempt to clear the ball.
It is a scene that has often been the subject of discussion in this form in the Swiss Super League. For example, when St. Gallen's Lukas Görtler, Winterthur's Tobias Schättin and Basel's Bénie Traoré were sent off for similar actions and the referees subsequently admitted they had made mistakes.
Croci-Torti must rebuild the players
It is not known what referee Andris Treimanis would say about this. In the FC Lugano camp, however, opinions are divided. "From my point of view, Hajdari is first to the ball," says Saipi. "But maybe I didn't see it right." The goalkeeper is diplomatic.
When Mattia Croci-Torti is asked about the same scene three quarters of an hour later, the tone is clearer. "It wasn't even a tackle. Hajdari is on the ball so much earlier and then hits the Slovenian player on the move. I can't understand why there's a penalty and a red after something like that."
The Ticino man knows what a difficult phase his players have gone through in recent weeks. He knows how this progression at European level could have given the whole club a boost in self-confidence. And he knows that he now has to rebuild the players instead.
"This defeat hurts a lot. We were the better team throughout the game and deserved to progress to the next round. But we're very fragile at the moment."
This fragility was particularly evident in the turbulent final phase of normal time. "When you're leading in the 89th minute, you have to hold on to that lead," says Croci-Torti before heading off into the night. He doesn't even look at the beer in the fridge.
