After 2 league games in a row and the cup defeat in Biel on Thursday, Lugano also lost on the European stage. The 0:1 in Celja is the fourth goalless defeat in a row. Steffen, Grgic and Croci-Torti look for explanations.
FC Lugano are not doing well at all at the moment. The 0:1 in the first leg of the round of 16 of the Conference League against the Slovenians from Celje is the fourth defeat without a goal in a row.
In the championship, the 0:1 against YB was followed by a 0:3 against FCZ. In between, coach Mattia Croci-Torti's team embarrassed themselves in the Cup with a 2-0 defeat against Biel from the Promotion League.
And then, on Thursday, there was the defeat on the European stage. Even if it doesn't mean elimination (the second leg will take place on March 13 at 18:45 in Thun and on blue Sport), it's still another disappointment.
Croci-Torti: "We mustn't lose our heads now"
What's the reason? Renato Steffen on blue Sport: "We're not scoring any goals at the moment. We somehow lack the absolute will to make the runs and get into the box." Anto Grgic says: "We're in a difficult situation. But that happens in a long season with lots of games. We have to improve in the last 30 meters and become more dangerous again."
Coach Croci-Torti says: "We're lacking efficiency at the moment. We simply mustn't lose our heads now. Not like we did with the red card just before the end." He was criticizing his defender Antonios Papadopoulos. The Greek let himself get carried away with an elbow strike and was sent off. He is not alone in this at Lugano. Steffen also saw red in the Cup against Biel.
Lugano must score at all costs on Sunday in Sion if they are not to lose touch in the championship race. The Ticino side have already missed out on one of their goals for the season, the Cup final.
