LASK: Between Disappointment and Fulfilled Boyhood Dreams

A Champions League debut, a narrow away defeat against an internationally experienced opponent – there would certainly be teams that would pat themselves on the back for a decent performance and not get on the plane home feeling dissatisfied.

Not so LASK. The disappointment after the 0-1 loss at AEK Athens (Match report>>>) is enormous among the black and white players.

"Were definitely on par"

Coach Dietmar Kühbauer had to lift his players' spirits after the final whistle. "The boys were all a bit disappointed, but I told them: That's part of the game. Being down is not the best approach."

The Burgenländer would rather understand the disappointment "if we had played really badly. But it's not like there was a huge difference. We were definitely on par."

The most important thing is to learn from games like the one in the cauldron of Athens. "Internationally, you need a little more; the boys felt that," Kühbauer reports.

Jungwirth's Boyhood Dream Came True

Lukas Jungwirth, not least, had to experience firsthand how cruel football can be at this level. The Linz academy player prevented his team from falling behind early in the game with an unconventional header save, only to concede an unstoppable free-kick goal a short while later.

"Immediately after the game, it's difficult to find the right words because disappointment prevails," said the 22-year-old. "But when you let everything sink in, you are very grateful to have played in the Champions League."