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And then there were none!
The highly depleted Canaries, missing many of their regulars through injuries and suspension, were also ousted 3-2 on aggregate by French outfit Lille. The match ended 1-1, but the Frenchmen had won 2-1 in the home leg last Thursday.
Going into Thursday’s match, Galatasaray was more optimistic than Fener about making the last 16 because the Lions only needed a 0-0 draw to advance on the away goals rule.
But the reality on the ground was different as Atletico midfielder Simao broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute. Ivory Coast winger Abdul Kader Keita equalized three minutes later for the Lions, just as he had done in the first leg in Madrid, which ended 1-1. But substitute Diego Forlan scored for Atletico in the 90th to put the game beyond reach.
The turning of the match was in the 78th minute when Atletico’s Luis Perea, beaten by Galatasaray leftie Caner Erkin, deliberately blocked the ball with his hand as he lay on the ground. Caner still managed to shoot at goal, but his shot rebounded off young Spanish keeper Sergio Asenjo, hit the far post and went out of play for a corner kick.
Galatasaray players protested this decision, but the highly controversial Italian referee would not change his mind. Thereafter, an extremely angry Caner, who could not control his temper, booked twice and was given his marching orders within three minutes in the 81st.
“They [the referees] did want us to advance,” angry Galatasaray coach Frank Rikaard said after the match. “I don’t blame the central referee, but there is no justification whatsoever if the sideline referee, less than two meters away, could not see that position was a clear penalty,” he added angrily.
Canaries sing same refrain
At İstanbul’s FB Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, the Fener Yellow Canaries sang the same refrain as a late header from center back Adil Rami eliminated Fenerbahçe and earned Lille a last-16 berth against English Premiership side Liverpool FC.
Leading through leftie Emre Belözoğlu’s a first-half strike, the Canaries looked set to progress on away goals with only four minutes to go. But Rami escaped his markers in the penalty area in the 84th and nodded in Ludovic Obraniak’s superb free kick.
Daum could not accept the loss, but Fener defender Bekir İrtegün accepted the defeat in good faith. “We have missed out on the Europa League, and we must compensate for this by clinching both the league and Turkish Cup double,” he said.
Thursday’s result continues Fenerbahçe coach Christoph Daum’s miserable record against French opposition in European competition -- he has yet to taste victory in six outings against Ligue 1 opposition.
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