Hannover manager Mirko Slomka unsatisfied despite qualification for last 32 in Europe
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Hannover-96-c39492 manager Mirko Slomka has expressed his dissatisfaction on the side’s 2-0 loss in the final match of the group stage of the UEFA Europa League against Standard Liege. The German club has qualified for the next round
of the competition but Slomka still feels that the performances in the last few matches could have been better.
Die Roten has ended in second place of Group B in the Europa League with eight points from the five games played. They finished three points behind Standard Liege and were three points above FC Copenhagen to secure qualification
for the next round of the competition.
Slomka claimed that he wanted the side to qualify with a win for the next round but the performance against the group leaders was poor. He admitted that the last few games in the group stage have not been good which is why they
lost their first spot to Liege. He called for improvement when the club will play in the Round of 32 as mistakes cannot be afforded at that level.
He admitted that the level of the games is very high in the next round as some of the best teams in Europe are involved.
“We did not actually want to go through with a defeat. We started well, but then we were submissive and looked bad. At this level, you get punished immediately for that. We have definitely played better games than this,” he was
quoted as saying in an interview.
The tactician insisted that his players are also disappointed with the performance and are in no mood for celebration despite qualification for the next phase. He added that the team will surely make amends from the performance
and will come out strongly in the latter part of the tournament.
“We are therefore not so happy because we were unable to make the breakthrough in attack. None of us are celebrating going through yet because the memories of this game are still fresh,” the boss added.
Hannover are currently placed eighth in the Bundesliga standings with 20 points from the 14 games played. They will next take on http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/SC-Freiburg-c40462.
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