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Lost the playoffs to Granada
Of: Andreas Käck, Johan Flinck
Published:
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MALMÖ / STOCKHOLM. Malmö FF is out of the Europa League.
Dreams were shattered in the playoff against Granada and so “Di Blåe” also lost more than 30 million crowns.
– We should be very disappointed. We would have liked to offer our fans a group match in Europe this fall, says coach Jon Dahl Tomasson.
MFF had reached the European group stage five times in the last seven years. But this year he stopped at the last qualifying match. The Spanish Granada was too good and won in the end with a clear 3-1.
The visitors’ 1-0 score came in the 30th minute when Darwin Machis was released by Antonio Puertas. Then Jo Inge Berget tied after a long pitch from Jonas Knudsen. But in the 58th minute Antonio Puertas made it 2-1 and in the 85th, Yangel Herrera -from a suspicious offside position- stepped forward and pushed the 3-1 goal that sends Granada to the group stage and the MFF out of the tournament.
– The difference today is that they score on their opportunities, we don’t. I also believe that our chances are greater than theirs. But we should be proud and hold our heads, says MFF coach Jon Dahl Tomasson.
“I should score goals
Before Granada’s 3-1 goal, Anel Ahmedhodzic had a great opportunity to equalize at 2-2, but his shot went straight to the goalkeeper.
– I should have marked there. I almost hit the ball too good, says the midfielder.
He was one of a total of eight players who received yellow cards during the match.
– Granada is a good team and they play well. But they played ugly and complained a lot.
Someone special who was a pig?
– They were all a bit like that, says Ahmedhodzic.
Ola Toivonen was also involved in some heated exchanges with Granada players.
– It was a good talk, a good talk, he says.
What language did you use? English?
– It was probably the full dictionary. Everything that occurred to me.
Economic explosion
MFF receives 3.2 million SEK despite the loss, but it is a small consolation because the advance to group games would have been worth ten times more in the form of 31 million SEK in guaranteed income.
When they reached the round of 16 last year, a total of over SEK 100 million was withdrawn in compensation to UEFA.
Chief Executive Niclas Carlnén has previously said that Malmö FF during this crown year expects to make a negative profit of SEK 50 million.
– We should be very disappointed. We would have liked to offer our fans a group match in Europe this fall, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
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