Ingolitsch full of praise despite exit: "It warms my heart"

Ultimately, pride prevails

"It hurts. We knew that the chances before the game weren't too great anymore. But we gave our best and believed in the chance. Every player pushed their limits. That's why I'm incredibly proud," said head coach Fabio Ingolitsch after the final whistle.

Sturm was the better team for long stretches, only precision in the final third and in front of goal was missing. Fenerbahce, however, presented themselves as clinical as they did in the 2-0 first leg.

Old vs. Young

The decision ultimately came in the 65th minute after a foul by starting XI debutant Petar Petrovic in the penalty area. Anderson Talisca converted the penalty for the winning goal.

"Of course, Fener played that really shrewdly. They also started with an average age of 30 – studded with world champions and Champions League winners. And we played with an average age of 21 – with a boy band, with a young, hungry squad," Ingolitsch remarked.

However, this was not meant as criticism. On the contrary: "Today, I didn't see much difference between the teams. At the end of the day, it was a 50/50 duel."

But even if the dream of the premier class burst on this Tuesday evening, the journey continues in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Will the team stay together?

Speaking to "ORF", Ingolitsch once again praised his team: "It warms my heart when I see how the lads leave everything on the pitch. One or two of them won't be here much longer if they keep going like this."

The transfer window in Austria is still open until September 3rd. It's unclear if anything will change by then. But Ingolitsch isn't thinking about that. "I'm not afraid. At the end of the day, it's my job and I enjoy doing it."