Rangnick: “It’s difficult when they have Gordon Banks in goal”

Ralf Rangnickcould not extend the rest of Euro 2024 that the Austrian team has after winning the first stage as the first in the group ahead of France and the Netherlands. In the round of 16, Türkiye prevented further progress (1-2).

“We didn’t have much luck and I think if the game had gone to extra time we would have won. We had time to score the equaliser, but it’s difficult when they have it. Gordon Banks on purpose!” he said. Rangnick, 66, in reference to the stoppage in the last second of the match, after a header from Christoph Baumgartner, of the Turkish goalkeeper Mert Günok, to whom he compares Gordon Banks the English goalkeeper who made a historic save against Pelé at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

The precedent of 6-1 in March

“They defended well, much better than the friendly we won against them in March 6-1 and better than the Czech Republic, a team they were lucky to get kicked out of. But we have to recognize that because with our good performance they are also a good rival,” he admitted Rangnick referring to the Turks’ last game of the first period, which they won 1-2 after Czech Barak’s red card in the first half.

Rangnick regretted that his team did not take advantage of all its chances and did not defend “well” in the two corners taken by Arda Güler and finished by Merih Demiral.

Rangnick He acknowledged that he had prepared the base camp in Berlin to continue in the Euro Cup because he hoped to continue in the competition: “I can’t believe that now we are going home, we thought we were going to continue our journey,” he commented.

“The four games we played were very entertaining, including today. Not all were very accurate, but they were four very entertaining and intense games. Now we have to take it with us to the Nations League and then to qualifying phase for the World Cup,” he concluded Rangnick.